Glasgow, Aug. 16 (SANA)Scotland appointed Belgian Sebastien Pocognoli as head coach on an initial two-year contract Sunday, the Scottish Football Association announced.

The 39-year-old replaces Steve Clarke and will lead Scotland in their UEFA Nations League campaign. Clarke stepped down after taking the national team back to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, although Scotland were eliminated in the group stage.

Pocognoli said he was immediately excited by the opportunity, praising the passion of Scotland’s supporters.

The former Belgium international arrives after a short spell at AS Monaco, which dismissed him in June following a seventh-place Ligue 1 finish and failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Before joining Monaco, Pocognoli was named Belgian Coach of the Year after leading Union Saint-Gilloise to the domestic league title.

The former Standard Liege, West Bromwich Albion and Brighton & Hove Albion defender becomes only the second foreign coach to lead Scotland’s men’s team, following Germany’s Berti Vogts, who served from 2002 to 2004.