Everton assistant Alan Irvine will remain part of Scotland's coaching setup under new manager Sebastien Pocognoli. Pocognoli was appointed as Steve Clarke's successor in June, and the Scottish Football Association has confirmed that Irvine will be joined by two new assistants, as well as goalkeeping coach Chris Woods, who was part of the previous coaching staff. The new additions to Pocognoli's backroom team are former Belgium coach Luke Benstead and Cameron Campbell, who previously worked in the academies of Aberdeen and Rangers before joining RB Leipzig in 2024 as their head of player development.
Campbell has recently been appointed as Tottenham Hotspur's first-team individual development coach, while Benstead, who previously worked as an analyst for Everton and Manchester United, became assistant manager at Istanbul Basaksehir a year ago. With the coaching team now fully assembled, Pocognoli is set to announce his first Scotland squad on Tuesday ahead of his first international camp. The team will face Slovenia in two Nations League matches, with games against Switzerland and North Macedonia also scheduled during an extended international break.
Pocognoli emphasized the importance of building the right support team as he begins his new challenge with Scotland. He expressed satisfaction with the group assembled, noting that Alan Irvine was quick to agree to stay on, highlighting his passion for the role and his quality on the training pitch. He was also impressed by Cameron Campbell, praising the strong recommendations he received from contacts in the English Premier League and Germany. Pocognoli noted it is a bonus that Campbell is Scottish, as it adds local insight to the coaching team.
He mentioned that he knew Luke Benstead from his time in Belgium, where Benstead worked with some of the country's top talents during his seven-year stint with the national team. Pocognoli highlighted Benstead's diverse skillset, having worked as a performance analyst and later as an assistant coach at the highest level, with responsibility for set-pieces—a role he will continue with Scotland. He also praised Chris Woods, who has a standout playing career and extensive experience as a goalkeeping coach, having worked with some of the best goalkeepers in the game.
Scotland Announces Refreshed Coaching Staff Under New Manager Pocognoli
AI-rewritten from original reportingHow it works
scotlandsebastien-pocognolialan-irvinecameron-campbellluke-bensteadcoaching-staff



