Scotland head coach Sébastien Pocognoli says he is not feeling pressure to secure his first victory in charge as his team prepares to face North Macedonia in a key UEFA Nations League match in Skopje.

The Belgian manager, who succeeded Steve Clarke following Scotland's disappointing World Cup campaign, believes rebuilding the national team is a long-term project rather than one defined by a single result.

Since taking over, Pocognoli has overseen a 0-0 draw against Slovenia and a 3-0 loss to Switzerland, leaving Scotland with one point in Nations League Group B1. They now face a North Macedonia side that has also struggled, losing both of its opening matches without finding the back of the net.

Despite the expectation for Scotland to earn its first win under his leadership, Pocognoli said his focus remains on steady progress.

"The challenge is much bigger than this training camp," he said. "We are building step by step. Of course, we want our first victory because it gives confidence to the players and helps accelerate the process."

The Scotland boss believes his team deserved more from its draw with Slovenia and hopes the performances in training will translate into a positive result on the field.

He also stressed that confidence often follows success, allowing players to perform with greater freedom and make better decisions during matches.

Scotland enters the contest having failed to score in its last four games. However, three of those matches came against highly ranked opponents—Morocco, Brazil, and Switzerland—all among the world's top national teams.

North Macedonia has experienced offensive struggles of its own, scoring only two goals across its previous 10 matches and currently sitting well below Scotland in the FIFA world rankings.

Rather than placing additional pressure on his squad, Pocognoli said he is encouraged by the chances Scotland has created and believes the team's performances provide a solid foundation for future success.

"For me, it's important that we continue creating opportunities," he said. "We inherited a strong foundation, and our goal is to build on the positives while continuing to improve. The results will come if we stay on that path."