Scotland Retain Alan Irvine in Sebastien Pocognoli's Refreshed Coaching Staff

Scotland have retained Alan Irvine as part of new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli's backroom team, while adding Luke Benstead and Cameron Campbell as assistants. The Scottish Football Association also confirmed that goalkeeping coach Chris Woods will continue from the previous regime, BBC Sport reported.

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Irvine, an Everton assistant, joined Steve Clarke's Scotland staff after Euro 2024 and will continue working for both club and country. He already knows Pocognoli from their time at West Bromwich Albion, where Irvine signed the Belgian as a player during his brief spell managing the club in 2014.

Pocognoli was appointed as Clarke's successor last month. In explaining his staff choices, he said Irvine's enthusiasm for remaining with Scotland was clear and highlighted the coach's work on the training pitch and the respect he commands among colleagues. The appointments complete the core group before Pocognoli's first national-team camp.

Campbell, 35, has held academy roles at Aberdeen and Rangers. He joined RB Leipzig in 2024 as head of player development, then became Tottenham Hotspur's first-team individual development coach last year. Pocognoli said Campbell had received strong recommendations from contacts in the English Premier League and Germany.

Benstead previously spent seven years with Belgium's national set-up, working as a performance analyst and assistant coach. He has also worked as an analyst for Everton and Manchester United and became Istanbul Basaksehir's assistant manager 12 months ago. Pocognoli said Benstead will have responsibility for set pieces with Scotland. Woods remains in charge of the goalkeepers.

The new head coach is due to name his first Scotland squad on Tuesday. His opening extended international period will include two Nations League fixtures against Slovenia, with matches against Switzerland and North Macedonia scheduled between them. Those games will provide the first competitive test for Pocognoli and his newly assembled coaching group.