This Manager's Life: Exclusive interview with Sunderland boss Phil Parkinson
Phil Parkinson has already ensured that his name will forever be inscribed into the football history books.
When Bradford walked out in the League Cup final in 2013, Parkinson became the only manager to take an English fourth-tier league club to the final of a major cup competition at Wembley.
"That cup run didn't just happen," he recalls. "It was creating a culture within the club. Signing the right players and working with them. We got our rewards with some terrific memories.
"It was fantastic. The players having the belief to beat Arsenal, for instance, who played a really strong team and to beat Aston Villa over two legs as well.
"A lot of work went into that. Those periods of success don't just happen. They have to be earned on the training ground. They have to be earned with recruitment.
"And they also have to be earned by a lot of clear thinking. Making sure you've got a direction that you're aiming for."
Sunderland fans need no reminder of what a Wembley experience is like.
They made the trip to the national stadium on two occasions last season for the Checkatrade Trophy and the Sky Bet League One play-off final. They finished the campaign empty-handed.
The man tasked with returning them to former heights is Parkinson. The underdog tag at Bradford has turned into the expectancy of the ex-Premier League club.
But even with the contrasting situations, direction remains a key ingredient in his recipe for success. A winning formula shifted from the Bantams to the Black Cats.
"It's an amazing club," he continued. "The passion of the supporters is incredible and they've made a big contribution to help us turn the results around and get us into this challenging position.
"Both home and away, they've been excellent for us.
"As a club, the potential is huge but when I first came in, I kind of had a feeling that people felt that we had a divine right to win because of the size and the stature of the club.
"Unfortunately, on a Saturday afternoon at three o'clock that doesn't count for a great deal.
"It's to do with the work on the training ground, leading into that game, the desire of the players, the structure and finding a way to play.
"I feel that the culture around the training ground has improved a lot and we're heading in the right direction but we've got a lot of work to do still."
Sunderland recently announced the return of Category One status for their academy. A club blessed with elite training space in England's third tier.
The Academy of Light boasts top-level facilities. The positive remains of a Premier League spell that still leaves somewhat of a bitter taste given their fall down the English football pyramid.
Parkinson gives the impression of the training ground being the nucleus for a football club. An area that's not often seen but one that is imperative for success.
And it's not just the work on the pitch that matters, but also the way in which the coaching staff manage their relationship with the squad.
"Myself and the staff always work hard to get the absolute maximum out of players and never write anybody off," he states.
"We're trying to constantly find ways to improve players individually because it's key. They all want to do well.
"Some players will have dips in form and when they do that it's important not to say 'I'm not going to play him again'.
"It's looking at how we can get them back to form. It might be something away from the pitch that they need help with.
"It's making sure that you spend enough time with every player in the squad and trying to get the best out of them."
Sunderland's attempt to return to the Championship at the first time of asking ended in cruel fashion.
Patrick Bauer scored with virtually the last kick of the game to send Charlton up as play-off winners. The smallest of margins making a huge impact.
The Black Cats are back at the right end of the table though and find themselves as 9/4 fourth-favourites for promotion this season.
In Parkinson, Sunderland have a manager who is determined to give it his all to ensure they go one better this time around.
"When the season draws to a close, and we're all on holiday if we're fortunate enough to go away, you've got to look back and say we did everything that we possibly could to achieve promotion," he concludes.
"We made the tough decisions as a management team. The players gave everything they could on a day-to-day basis.
"We played in the right way and we put enough emphasis on the detail of our preparation. If we've done all those things and we've been successful then fantastic. If we haven't, that will sit comfortably with me.
"But it's important now that the players, the staff and the supporters are ready to give absolutely everything for the last 16 games."
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