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.
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."
Important: Sporting Life podcasts have new homes across the below platforms.
Please make sure you subscribe to ensure you don't miss future episodes of your favourite show.