Sebastien Pocognoli says Sergej Jakorivic’s ‘perfect game-plan’ has given Oli McBurnie the platform to win a first Scotland call-up in five years.
The new Scotland head coach named the Hull City striker in a 28-strong squad that will face Slovenia home and away, Switzerland at home and North Macedonia away in a new Nations League campaign.
McBurnie returns amid injuries to the likes of Che Adams and Lawrence Shankland but at a time when he is proving his worth in the Premier League. The 30-year-old has played all but eight minutes of the Tigers’ unbeaten start to the campaign.
While he is yet to score, he has been a key player in Jakirovic’s system and Pocognoli said: “You know when I arrived I did not have any fixed perception about what had happened in the past – I just needed to make my own perception. I just wanted to analyse the players who can fit what I want to produce on the pitch.
“Actually, the first consideration was that Oli can fit what I want to produce. After this, yes, I called him and he was really excited to come back. He was a little bit emotional because he has wanted to come back for a long time.
“But he does not want to come back with revenge in mind or something like this. He wants to be here in the timeline right now and he is in good shape at Hull [City] right now. He just wants to continue this with the Scotland national team.
“What he was doing last season, he showed he can score goals. What he is doing now with Hull City he is working hard not only on the ball, but off the ball as well. It is perfect for the game plan of this coach, I can see this.
“When I say he was emotional, what I mean is you could see it in his face he was very happy. He was like, ‘Ah, I am back! This is where I want to be.’
“Honestly, his performances will give him the stature and that’s the important thing, just to talk on the pitch. If he is doing that everyone will be behind him. Not only him, but all the players are the same.”
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Pocognoli was also asked about the apparent rift between McBurnie and his predecessor Steve Clarke and said: “At each club you have players who are clashing more or less with the manager.
“We all have moments in our life when we have arguments with someone, sometimes it is your boss. I did sometimes too when I was a player.
“I can imagine after five years he doesn’t want to be judged by this, because he has all the qualities.
“It is a new environment, he is older and it is a new experience. If I just fixate on this, it would not be right. And If I feel I need to convince him, I would not have selected him. But he was really happy to be there. It is a fresh start for everybody.
“He’s a big personality and I like this. We need this. We need personality, a fighter.
“We need to recognise the leaders on the pitch. If Andy [Robertson] is not there, if John [McGinn] is not there, it can happen. I am not saying Oli will be that kind of leader, we will see. We have a camp. We have four games. We need to prepare for what is coming next and recognise who are the next leaders.”
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