Graham & Ure make Pocognoli's first Scotland squad
September 14, 2026 21:00
Stoke City centre-back Luke Graham and Sevilla forward Robbie Ure are poised to receive their first senior Scotland call-ups when new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli names his inaugural squad on Tuesday. Both players are 22 and this would be their initial full international selection.
Graham joined Stoke this summer and has been a regular starter as the club remain unbeaten in their last four Championship matches. Ure moved to Sevilla after a prolific spell in Sweden with Sirius and has yet to score in La Liga.
KEY CONTEXT
Graham featured in Scotland’s pre-World Cup training camp in May and was an unused substitute in the send-off friendly against Curaçao — Steve Clarke’s final match in charge. At Dundee he earned both the players’ player and young player of the year awards and has three Scotland under-21 caps.
Ure, formerly of Rangers’ academy, scored 20 goals and provided three assists in 20 games for Sirius, helping them to the top of the Swedish table and prompting his £5.5m transfer to Sevilla. He is also eligible for Ukraine, which has made the new Scotland manager keen to secure his international allegiance.
Pocognoli succeeded Clarke after Scotland failed to reach the knockout stages of a major tournament; there has been an expectation he will introduce younger faces. Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken has said he is confident a number of his club’s players could be included after a strong start to the season from James Wilson, Calvin Miller and Josh McPake.
WHY IT MATTERS
The selections underline the new coach’s early inclination to refresh an ageing squad by integrating standout young performers from club football. Securing players such as Ure, who has alternative eligibility, would be an immediate priority for Pocognoli. Graham’s continued inclusion would reward his recent form and prior involvement in Scotland setups.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- The full Scotland squad will be announced at 11:00 BST on Tuesday; Ure is reported to be set to be named.
- Pocognoli’s first match in charge is the Nations League B opener against Slovenia on 26 September, followed by a home game versus Switzerland three days later.
- Monitor whether Hearts’ in-form trio and other younger candidates make the final squad and how Graham’s starting run for Stoke continues.
KEY FACTS
- Luke Graham and Robbie Ure, both 22, are due to receive their first full Scotland call-ups.