Mixu Paatelainen is well known to Scottish football fans having turned out for the likes of Hibs, Dundee United and Aberdeen throughout his lifetime.
But with a playing career spanning 20 years, the Finland legend has produced the goods in the English Premier League and further afield, too. After retiring in 2005 the 55-year-old took his first steps into management where he moulded and shaped the careers of top talents. Paatelainen has an eye for talent on the pitch as a boss, and that likely comes from some of the world beaters he has played with during his time in the game.
We at Football Scotland sat down with the former Wolves striker - who notched 174 career goals - to go through the best XI players he played alongside or in some cases managed during a wide-ranging career.
GK: Antti Niemi
Rangers and Hearts, a fantastic goalkeeper. We were roommates for the national team, an absolute brilliant guy. What a shot stopper. Unbelievable shot-stopper, unbelievable at keeping clean sheets. We played Switzerland away and we beat them 2-1 and he was unbelievable that night. So many times he saved us.
RB: Ulrik Laursen
He performed fantastically well with his understanding of the game. He's an intelligent guy, gets forward well and puts great crosses in. He's tall, precise but he was mobile also. His headers offensively and defensively, he was a real modern full-back.
CB: Alex McLeish
Although we didn't play together too long he was a winner, a natural leader on the pitch. I'd play offensive positions and any mistakes or slack defending I heard it. "Track your man", a real fighter and team player.
CB: Sami Hyypiä
What a passer of the ball. He was commanding in the air, he's a tall guy, he's good from set-pieces but he's different from Alex in the sense that he was elegant, has composure and is really good on the ball. His awareness when to pass and play the ball, and those two centre-halves complement each other very well.
LB: Habib Beye
He would usually play on the right but I'll pick him at the left. Played with him at Strasbourg where we sat next to each other every weekend in the changing room. He would talk English to me and I'd say, "talk French because I want to learn it", but he'd reply, "No, I have to talk English because I want to play in the Premier League one day". He was the modern full-back, tall, fast, mobile, fantastic crosser of the ball. I'd like him underlapping and cutting in on his right foot to score goals. It's no surprise he got his move to Newcastle and Villa after Marseille.
CDM: Franck Sauzee
He has to be in there because what a player. A real leader but quietly so. He'd come and speak to you very quietly but there was always a message and on the pitch he'd show what a player he was. He came to Hibs at the end of his playing days but it was no surprise he'd won the European Cup and played for the national team with France. What a passer, he was a playmaker, taking the ball from the back four and playing from there.
RW: Russell Latapy
He was fantastic, we had a good partnership, he was the attacking midfielder, he'd play it to me and I'd lay it off and he'd find Kenny Miller or whoever else. Although he's small in size, he keeps possession of the ball so so well. Technically he's absolutely wonderful. A magical touch, gets away from players although he's not fast. Fantastic player. He was also always my roomie, we were good buddies. I've got too many stories to tell but let's keep that for another occasion.
CAM: Jari Litmanen
Liverpool, Ajax, Barcelona. Those clubs say it all. What a player, a goal scorer from that position, tremendous. His ability to pass the ball, his assists, he's the middle playmaker with Sauzee behind so we'd have a very strong middle. I wanted to include Derek Riordan because he was fantastic and score from anywhere but I have to go with Jari.
LW: Roman Eremenko
People will ask, 'why not Alexei?' because he was outstanding for us at Kilmarnock and with Finland. But Roman has the workrate and is really mobile, a little taller. Fantastic shot and excellent awareness, he played for me with Finland and a few months at HIFK after he'd basically retired. What a player, a team player. Unbelievable and a real example of how a top player works hard with quality. I wanted to include Jason McAteer because he was quality but I chose Roman.
ST: Duncan Ferguson
I contemplated Alexei Eremenko, Steve Bull from my Wolves days, Kenny Miller, Teemu Pukki. But I've chosen Big Dunc. He was a bully. So strong, aggressive, confident and people don't understand how good he was. His touch, link up play, awareness. His finishing skills were top class. He didn't lose the ball, it always stuck and he made things happen. He might not have been a managers dream but on the pitch he was some talent, powerful in the air and on the deck. You name it. We gave centre-halves black eyes and broken noses!
ST: Robbie Keane
An unbelievable clever player. Tricky, he ran all day, he had speed, finishing, could finish from anywhere and could make things happen. Those two up front, excellent in their own right, but they'd complement each other. A fantastic player and a great guy as well.
