The League of Nations play-off semi-final match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Northern Ireland will be played Thursday evening. What is the mood in the Northern Irish camp and among their fans, what do they expect and how much can Bosnia's national team do tonight?" Sky Sports' reporter Paul Gilmore answered these and other questions in an interview with N1's Haris Mrkonja. Gilmour has been following the Northern Ireland national team for 10 years and brings a different perspective to the Thursday night match.

We have a match between Bosnia and Northern Ireland. Stakes are very high. What kind of match do you expect tonight between the two teams?

Well, I think from a Northern Ireland perspective, it will be one of who knows what to expect. I don't think Northern Ireland supporters are too hopeful, after what happened last month- 5-1 home defeat against Norway. They did get a good result away in Romania, playing with 10 men for almost 60 minutes. But if it wasn't Bailey Peacock-Farrell, it could've been a higher scoreline. So, he made some terrific saves. The key difference for Northern Ireland tonight is Johnny Evans. He is back and he is fit again. One thing that I've noticed from watching the game against Norway is the back four and the goalkeeper were very quiet. Without Johnny Evans there, all I've heard were Norwegian voices in Belfast and that was very strange. Northern Ireland are not the most vocal team anyway. I think they are the team where they give everything for each other. They are a really good team. Without Johnny Evans, i think sometimes physically drags people in the place, he is shouting, barking over instructions. That was really missed last month. So that will be the key if Northern Ireland has any chance tonight. But I don't think I'm noticing a lot of excitement in Sarajevo and beyond Bosnia and Herzegovina. But, with Northern Ireland, they seem to be going into this with almost let's see what can happen, and we are not expecting too much, but let's see. I think that's pretty much feelin’ about this game within Northern Ireland.

We've been waiting for this match for six or seven months. Looking back, in retrospective, do you think that is better for Northern Ireland if this match was played back in March or is it better for them to be played now?

It's a good question because the one key difference between March and October is that Michael O'Neill, the former manager, is no longer here. He is somebody, I think he was the fourth or fifth the longest-serving international manager in Europe. And of course, he left to join Stoke City. I don't know if you are aware of that, but he took the Stoke job back in November and the plan was for him to manage Stoke, but to continue to manage Northern Ireland until he finds out whether he could take them to the European championship. Michael O'Neill would have been in charge of the match in March. But of course, it got moved to June, and then again today. That meant, as soon as it got moved to October, it became too much for Stoke. So Michael O'Neill had to go and Ian Baraclough had to come in. Ian Baraclough has been U21 manager with Northern Ireland, and he has just stepped up to the role. Thinking behind that is that they can just try and have that continuity and keep as much of a Michael O'Neill team as they possibly can. Baraclough is used to working with O'Neill. Michael O'Neill had a role in bringing him into Irish FA. That is the key difference. in an ideal world I think everybody would get behind Ian Baraclough, Northern Ireland managers always get great support, but in an ideal world for continuity March would have been better, because Michael O'Neill they would've hope continue that momentum on. Because it is October I think there's less optimism. Especially after what happened against Norway. But at the same time, the team, they are probably in the best possible shape they can be going into this in terms of injuries and who is available. The key problem for Northern Ireland is always a goalscorer. And that's the worry over here. It's a bit like what happened in Sarajevo last time- Edin Džeko was the difference with some fantastic moments of quality. And Northern Ireland, if you look at the same game, had a couple of chances, a couple of good chances and could not finish. So, I think that is probably another key tactical issue. Yes, it is not ideal playin’ in March…

Does it make any difference that Bosnia has so much trouble in defence for this game? I believe 5 or 6 defenders are missing. Some of them are people that have been heavily relied on in the past in the national team. People like Toni Šunjić, Ervin Zukanović who came here, who is here, and has had reported ankle injury and is doubtful or out for this match potentially. Does that give any hope to Northern Ireland fans or team for this match?

I think it will probably give a little bit of hope because quite naturally it always gives a team lift whenever they hear about injury problems in the opposition team. But Northern Ireland has to find a way to put the ball in the net. Which hasn't always come easily or naturally. Northern Ireland sometimes works really hard to score a goal. It is hard to know really because I think that the players that have come in for Bosnia and Herzegovina are still going to be quality players, and I think if they can adapt to obviously unfortunate situation it is going forward and sort of those attacking players that Northern Ireland probably fear. They are the ones that will be an interesting battle, because Northern Ireland's biggest strength usually, forget Norway, is defensively as the team. They have in the last year or so towards the end of Michael O'Neill tried to change slightly towards a bit more of high press on the front. But, I don't know whether, it might give them a bit confidence, but it will be an interesting tactical battle to see where he goes with his lineup because he might go for it, he might think with nothing to lose here, but I think what's more realistic is we might see a solid line up tonight for Northern Ireland, to really try and test players, and to hope they could maybe go somewhere. But I don't think, in terms of supporters there's probably a little bit of excitement when it comes to hearing about opposition players, but I think with the management team- they are savvy enough to know that it is still going to be a very good team they play.

I can't let you go before asking for prediction, as someone who works for Sky Sports and is following Northern Ireland national team for so long: How much of a chance do you give them and what is your predicted score?

I keep going this week- I think Northern Ireland can give a goal, win 1-0 or get a draw and win on penalties, something like that. But for the most part, of the last few months, I've been thinking Bosnia and Herzegovina is going to win. I think scoreline has the potential to be tight, but possibly a 1-0 or 2-0 win for Bosnia is what I keep going, got feelin’, that's what my head says. My heart says Northern Ireland could do enough. Many times they've been an awkward team to play against, because they work so well together as the team usually, that they can pull of a result, even a draw to have a chance of extra time and penalties. Northern Ireland have never been involved in a competitive penalty shootout. I think VAR is in place this evening as well, and we've got a lot of players in Championship and lower tire in England, and maybe Scotland, who are not used to VAR either. So that would be another interesting aspect of this game. It is really difficult like I said my head says narrow BiH win, but maybe I would've been a bit more confident had not been all of this period of unsettlement with the new manager and players last month. I guess the only key difference with Northern Ireland is that they all play in England, most of them, Kyle Lafferty plays in Italy, but they had 3 or 4 weeks of football since September when it was a bit of early stages of pre-season, they did not look sharp at all last month. So that might help them tonight.

Thank you so much, Paul, for being on the program. May the best team win and I hope to see you soon again, because you're our guest in Sarajevo last time when Northern Ireland and Bosnia and Herzegovina played here on the same stadium, stadium Grbavica. Best of luck and hope to see you soon.

Haris thanks so much. I am disappointed that I could not make a trip to Sarajevo this time, I love that city, and our crew too. We saw a feature on that trip with Edin Džeko and his homecoming, it was just a fascinating player. I hope to return to it at some point, sadly not on this occasion. Enjoy the match, and like you say, may the best team win. Somebody is going to be disappointed, but I think if BiH wins, certainly Nothern Ireland fans and people will wish you well in the final.