Tony Docherty named Scotland Under-21 head coach, assisted by Steven Naismith

Tony Docherty has been officially appointed as the head coach of the Scotland Under-21 team. The 55-year-old, who previously served on Gordon Strachan's national team backroom staff, replaces Scot Gemmill, who held the position for nearly a decade.

Docherty will be joined by former Hearts manager Steven Naismith as his assistant. Naismith, who previously served as an assistant to Steve Clarke with the senior national team, will take on a dual role, also leading a new mentorship program aimed at guiding the country's brightest young talents.

I am looking forward to getting straight to work and I'm delighted I'll be joined by Steven, who I have so much respect for as a coach, as a player, and as an individual. Tony Docherty

The changes arrive as part of a wider restructuring within the Scottish FA, following the recent appointment of Sebastien Pocognoli as head coach of the senior side. Docherty emphasized that the entire coaching setup is aligned on creating a clear national team identity and fostering stronger collaboration with domestic clubs to drive overall growth in the game.