Sunderland: Jack Ross on Netflix, promotion & his legacy

As well as building bridges off the pitch, Ross had to construct a team capable of winning on it. Picking up after Chris Coleman’s exit, he took Sunderland to within touching distance of promotion, only to miss out due to a 94th-minute Charlton Athletic goal in the play-off final at Wembley.

He acknowledges the raw pain felt by all at the club but, despite the precarious lives of his short-lived predecessors, refuses to succumb to the notion that his own future clouded his thoughts in the immediate aftermath.

“I am probably my own biggest critic, so it hurt me not to achieve what I wanted to. It was gut-wrenching,” he says. “But in terms of what I put into the job and how diligent and thorough I was, I had no question I had done that properly. Thereafter if the decision is made to relieve you of your duties I feel it’s important to look yourself in the mirror properly and believe you did as much as you can.”

Ross nods to the advice and support given not just in those difficult days in May following Wembley, but throughout the campaign from the likes of Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers and Aberdeen counterpart Derek McInnes.

“At times you get little nuggets that help you,” he added. “I spoke openly about how supportive Brendan was and I spoke to him early in my time here as well. And Derek was always very good to me in Scotland, going back to when I was Alloa manager. He sent me a message in the aftermath of the play-off game. Without going into detail, it was from someone who had been through that pain in being very close to achieving success.”