Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli wants more homegrown players in top-flight lineups, and the season totals he is pushing against are stark. Falkirk have started 74 Scots in the Premiership this season, while Celtic are on 34 and Rangers on 27. Pocognoli has also named just six players from the Premiership in his upcoming Nations League squad.
Falkirk's lead in the starting Scots count
Falkirk's 74 is the headline figure. It puts them well clear of the Glasgow clubs in a category that usually gets talked about as a big-club strength, not a smaller one. Celtic's 34 is less than half that total, and Rangers sit further back on 27.
That gap supports Pocognoli's complaint about how often top-flight clubs trust homegrown players. His quote to dailyrecord.co.uk was simple enough: Premiership clubs should give more homegrown players a crack in their first team, because there is not enough playing at the top level.
What Pocognoli's squad selection says
The squad call for his upcoming Nations League group adds another layer to the same point. Only six players in the Premiership made the cut, which is a thin number for a coach who wants clubs to widen the path for local talent.
Scott Bain is one of those six. His 13 Premiership appearances this season help explain why he is in the frame, and his season rating of 7.22 suggests he has done enough to stay in view.
Pocognoli's message is not only about one squad selection. It matches the club-by-club totals in the league, where Falkirk have used far more Scots from the start than Celtic or Rangers. That is the figure that stands out most clearly, and it is hard to miss in the 74-34-27 spread.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
