Ex-Raith Rovers boss Jimmy Nicholl sees similarities between current Northern Ireland crop and ex-Raith youngsters

And the 67-year-old Nicholl – who famously led Raith to the 1994 Scottish League Cup and 1994-’95 first division title during his glorious first spell in charge at Stark’s Park between 1990 and ’96 – he later returned to boss Rovers again from 1997 to ’99, reckons the current youthful Windsor Park crop look extremely promising as they develop under national boss Michael O’Neill.

He said: "We're just encouraged and excited about what we've got at the minute, with these young lads coming through.

"They won their group in the Nations League which is a starting point. Their average age was 22.9 in that last game. They're so exciting, they're great to work with.

"They beat Bulgaria 5-0 and they beat Belarus, they've been over to Romania and drawn and they've beaten Scotland 1-0 so they're gaining momentum.

"Our young players do remind me of the kids we had at Raith, like Colin Cameron and Stevie Crawford.

"And they're a joy to watch because they just go and express themselves.

"I didn't do any coaching at Raith Rovers. I was always told: 'If you go into management, surround yourself with good staff and good players and you've got a chance’.

"And sometimes with these good players you have to get the best out of them in certain ways but they need to have that ability to start. And they all had ability and then it all came together.

"And all these young ones that we're working together with at the minute have all got immense ability and they know the game.

"If you're winning 1-0 against somebody away from home, you have to realise how to handle that situation.

"And there wasn't enough older players round them to get them settled down.

"They have come through all that and I do draw comparisons with the kids I had at Raith, because I love to see them coming through.”

Ex-Manchester United and Rangers defender Nicholl himself served Northern Ireland with distinction, making 73 international appearances between 1976 and ’86, scoring one goal.

He frequently got to test himself against the world’s best players, with Billy Bingham’s squad qualifying for the 1982 World Cup – when they famously beat Spain 1-0 thanks to Gerry Armstrong’s goal to reach the second round.

Moving onto the 1986 tournament in Mexico however, it’s fair to say that Nicholl’s memories aren’t quite as fond!

Although Northern Ireland earned a point from their first Group D fixture in a 1-1 draw against Algeria, they exited after subsequent defeats against Spain (2-1) and Brazil (3-0), with that latter game against the South Americans remembered for the stunning 35-yard goal by Josimar, which flew past veteran Irish keeper Pat Jennings.

Nicholl recalled: “That game alone against Brazil was men and boys. That was my worst experience in football.

"You're playing away for your country and you're playing at a certain level at your club and you think: 'I must be all right'.

"It's only when I played against those Brazilian boys that I realised they were at a different level.

"They were playing half a touch and you couldn't get near them.

"I have spoken to the Northern Ireland boys since and I said: 'I found that game embarrassing. I felt like a wee boy compared to them'.

"Two or three of the lads said: 'Have you watched the game back Jimmy?'

"I said: 'No, no chance, for that reason'. I didn't like to see myself being humiliated.

"But they said: 'We actually did all right in that game'. I said: 'You're joking!'

"So I need to look back just to make me feel a wee bit better by thinking: 'God, we weren't as bad as what I thought!’”

When asked if Josimar – his opposite number in the Brazilian team – was the best opposition right-back he ever faced, Nicholl said: "I can't remember much about Josimar in his club games. But certainly in that World Cup and certainly the goal he scored, that was spectacular.

"Big Pat thought he had it and he blamed it on the altitude afterwards because he said the ball dipped. Aye right!”