Northern Lights shine in Finland

To win a European Championship qualifying group is no mean feat. To win as the 31st ranked side in UEFA is phenomenal.

For Northern Ireland to top their group losing just once in 10 matches is simply a triumph for almost impeccable management.

Paul McVeigh - the former Northern Ireland international - likened the achievement of Michael O'Neill's men to that of England winning the World Cup. He wasn't exaggerating.

No-one across a divided nation has seen their national side qualify for a tournament in a generation. To do it with relative ease underlines the confidence with which his team is playing - instilled or installed by the manager.

It is easy to pick holes in their performances, but factor in the level at which the majority of the squad are playing and it soon becomes churlish.

Kyle Lafferty has represented Norwich City twice this season, but has been the leading light of his nation's campaign. Fleetwood Town's Conor McLaughlin has made the right-back position his own when Manchester United's Paddy McNair was available. Josh Magennis was a goalkeeper just seven short years ago.

Could they have been beaten on another day in Helsinki? Maybe they should have been after presenting four gilt-edged chances to the home side before their defence was eventually breached. However, it's the resilience and the confidence to keep playing football that has pushed Northern Ireland forward. It's difficult not to celebrate with them.

There's another thing here. O'Neill is universally liked, he has united a nation to get behind its football team. There are no headlines about flags and anthems, there are many about football. It's for that, as well as his on-field achievements, for which we should salute him.

Hodgson's Choice

Roy Hodgson has managed across the world, experiencing many a culture and footballing traditions, but has he come across anyone as gifted as Ross Barkley?

With all probability he has, which is why the way that he has chose to handle him should be applauded. Hodgson has not subscribed to usual hype that accompanies any bright performance by an England youngster. Instead, he has encouraged Barkley to keep his feet planted on terra firma.

To his credit, Barkley is never accused of anything but. He was excellent against Estonia in a tepid game, with his close control and perceptive passing. The key word in that sentence though is 'Estonia', and it is right not to temper expectations driven up after a dead rubber.

Don't Go Gordon

You would be hard pressed to find a more difficult group than the one in which Scotland were drawn, but they were fourth seeds and that's where they have finished.

Despite failing to reach Euro 2016 the campaign can be viewed positively. Scotland looked like a team again and sparkled in their early games.

Many will point to the mortal failure against Georgia in Tbilisi, and it will be a game that Gordon Strachan will replay in his head endlessly, but it shouldn't be the end of his reign in Scotland.

It's the first time since 1999 that it has felt as if they have a realistic chance of qualifying, and when you haven't reached a major finals for that long there is no use throwing the baby out with the bath water.

What happended to LewanDOUBTski?

When Robert Lewandowski moved from the comforts of Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich he wasn't an instant hit.

He only scored once in his first four games, and only seven in his first 20 Bundesliga matches - nothing to be sniffed at, but not what the Bavarians had been promised. There were one or two who were doubting whether he could replicate his sensational Dortmund form.

They didn't last long. Lewandowski scored nine goals in eight Bundesliga games between February and April and has got even better at the start of this season. In 16 games for club and country since the end of last season he has scored 25 goals.

Four braces, hat-tricks against Dinamo Zagreb and Georgia, plus a Concorde-speed quintet at home to Wolfsburg are the highlights.

There was a rumour this week that Jurgen Klopp wanted to rekindle their relationship, so successful at Dortmund, on Merseyside. I'm sure he would, but he has absolutely no chance.

Liverpool don't have the money. Bayern Munich wouldn't sell him. And quite simply, why would he leave a side hoovering up silverware for one who's only trophy in nine years has been the League Cup?