Billy Gilmour told his Scotland role as Sebastien Pocognoli reveals why he wants him playing with a SMILE

SEBASTIEN POCOGNOLI wants to see Billy Gilmour SMILE for Scotland. The Belgian has revealed he’s been a huge fan of the midfielder since he studied him playing for Brighton. Pocognoli is now looking to build his new-look national team around…

By Robert Grieve · The Scottish Sun

Published: Monday, 28 September 2026 at 9:30 PM

Key Things to Know

Sebastien Pocognoli plans to build his Scotland squad around midfielder Billy Gilmour.
Pocognoli wants Gilmour to play higher up the pitch to score more goals and provide assists.
The manager praised Gilmour's second-half performance against Slovenia ahead of Scotland's clash with Switzerland.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Sebastien Pocognoli plans to build his Scotland national team around midfielder Billy Gilmour ahead of an upcoming clash against Switzerland. Pocognoli praised Gilmour's one-touch passing and performance in the second half against Slovenia, stating he wants the Napoli midfielder to play with a smile on the pitch and take creative risks.

Pocognoli indicated that Gilmour will play higher up the pitch to increase his goalscoring and assist output, contrasting his offensive mindset with Lewis Ferguson's more defensive approach. Although Gilmour can still feature deeper as a number six, the manager believes his attacking qualities make Scotland more dangerous.

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