Michael O'Neill must outwit his old boss Mixu Paatelainen to maintain Northern Ireland ’ s bid to qualify for a major tournament for the first time in 30 years . It was Finland manager Paatelainen who gave the 45-year-old Irishman his first break in coaching at Cowdenbeath . O ’ Neill revealed that the two old friends have been reluctant to compare notes so as to avoid giving away any more information about their tactics . ‘ We ’ re similar to players , I think , ’ he said . Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill faces his old mentor on Sunday , the manager of Finland . Mixu Paatelainen is the manager of Finland , and he gave O'Neill his first break in management . Northern Ireland team to face Finland : Carroll ; C McLaughlin , McAuley , Evans , Baird ; Ward , Davis , Norwood , Brunt , McGinn ; Lafferty . ‘ When you ’ ve played at a club with someone and then you ’ ve worked briefly with them as a coach there ’ s obviously a relationship there . ‘ Obviously we are less inclined to discuss the opposition because he doesn ’ t want to tell me things I perhaps don ’ t know and vice versa . But we both know each other inside out and how our team will play . ‘ Regardless of what happens it won ’ t affect how close we are. ’ Northern Ireland have never qualified for the European Championship finals , and last appeared in a major tournament at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico . O ’ Neill added : ‘ I think Mixu has done a great job . His job is quite similar to mine , you have a limited pool of players to choose from and he has got them playing in a nice style . There ’ s no doubt Finland are a good team but there is a dependence on five or six players. ’ O'Neill ( pictured ) and Paatelainen were together at Cowdenbeath in Scotland .
Northern Ireland face Finland on five or six night in a European qualifier . Michael O'Neill will come up against his old boss Mixi Paatelainen . Paatelainen gave O'Neill his first break in coaching at Cowdenbeath . O'Neill admits the pair have been reluctant to compare notes .