MIXU Paatelainen, the last international manager to take a team to Kazakhstan, has warned his old club boss Alex McLeish not to underestimate the technical ability of Michal Bilek’s largely home-based squad but hinted that they could be susceptible to a Scottish counter-attack in tomorrow’s Euro 2020 qualifying opener. Paatelainen was in charge of Latvia when the Baltic nation recorded a 1-1 Nations League draw against the Kazakhs in November. That went with an identical scoreline from the return match in Riga in September, in a section ultimately won by Georgia.

While the former Dundee United and Hibs player - who also managed Cowdenbeath, Kilmarnock and Finland - is reluctant to pick out particular danger men in the line-up which will face Scotland tomorrow, he was impressed with the general level of player the Kazakhs can field middle to front, even though they are a star-free unit who largely play their club football at the likes of Astana, Kairat Almaty, Shakhter Karagandy or Tobol. While the 2019 edition of the Kazakh Premier League is only two games old, it is a division ranked just four places beneath the Scottish Premier League in Uefa’s co-efficient system. Having said all that, Paatelainen also feels that Bilek is sure to give it a go against Scotland in this opener, which could open gaps for the Scots to exploit on the break.

“They are a very tall team, a very technical team, and very fast,” said Paatelainen. “They play a very offensive style. The midfielders get forward very well and like to cause problems. They might not play at the top European clubs, but clubs like Astana are big enough to compete in their own right, big enough that their players don’t see the need to move to Europe.

“Their wide players are very good in one on one situations, so I’m very disappointed if Andy Robertson can’t play because he could have been very important,” he added.

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“I’m actually quite surprised that the Kazakhs haven’t done better in football before this because they have the players and play a very positive style. But at the back they lack a little bit of pace so they could be vulnerable on the counter attack, if Scotland can nullify them first. Hopefully that happens.”

The match is scheduled to take place amid below freezing conditions under the roof and on an artificial surface at the Astana Arena, but Paatelainen made light of such concerns. “Minus 10, that is July out in Finland!” joked Paatelainen. “So no problem. No, when we played there it was similar conditions, minus 10, minus 15, and the stadium was about plus 5, plus 7. The surface is artificial but no problem. It is good enough, I don’t think that should be a leveller at all. We never had any call offs, every player was available, it is a shame if one or two Scotland players don’t want to take part because of the artificial surface. I hope they will go there and put in a positive performance.”

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While Paatelainen, who left Latvia shortly afterwards, will return to football shortly, he retains a keen interest in Scotland, and not just because he has chosen to make his life here. Should neither Scotland nor Finland qualify as of right for Euro 2020, his two nations will be plunged into a Nations League play-off semi final in the March of 2020.

“It would be a wonderful game and I think it would be pretty even, too,” said Paatelainen. “Scottish players have a lot of street knowledge if you see what I mean about football. They know how to get the better of a one on one and that could be an important factor in that game. But Finland you know will be very well organised and have some good young players, some talented youngsters who did very well in the Nations League. This promises to be a difficult campaign for us, so the backdoor is the Nations League, and it will be very interesting. It is about time both teams qualified for a finals. I can’t wait, because I will be a winner whatever way it goes.”