I will sing national anthem, declares Scotland boss Sebastien Pocognoli

Sebastien Pocognoli has revealed that he plans to sing Flower of Scotland before matches after swotting up on the history of his adopted country.

Only the second non-Scot to take charge of the national team, the Belgian faces Slovenia away on Saturday then Switzerland at Hampden next Tuesday at the outset of the Nations League campaign.

Curious about what lay behind Scotland’s unofficial National Anthem, the 39-year-old made a point of asking chief football officer Craig Mulholland what the words meant.

And having now learned the story of the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 in which Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II, Pocognoli feels it’s only right that he makes every effort to join in with the Tartan Army.

‘Yeah, I try to understand the anthem,’ he said. ‘I am quite excited to be at home for the first Hampden game and to just live it and be there.

‘I think I will feel what Scotland means because right now we are in a bubble. But when we have the Switzerland game, I will really feel part of the family. I hope we will have a great game to have a good start at home.

‘I will do what I feel is the best. And I think that I would like to do it. I will try to do the best with my French accent.

‘My first feeling is to do it. So, I’m like this. When I have this impression about everything in my life, I just try to follow it. And that’s my feeling.’

Asked if he felt it was only appropriate as he was now an adopted Scot, Pocognoli added: ‘Yeah, I know. I’m very proud of that.’