PAOLO Di Canio won a Serie A league title with AC Milan and the UEFA Cup with Juventus as a player, but lifting the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at Wembley on Sunday would supersede them both.

The 43-year-old was dismissed as being too erratic and temperamental to be a success in management by many pundits when he was appointed Town boss last May and few expected the unlikely union to last.

But, having guided the Robins to the top of League Two and the final of a cup competition at Wembley for the first time in over four decades, it is fair to say he has surpassed all expectations.

With Swindon firmly on course for promotion, the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy is seen by some as an added bonus but Di Canio clearly views it as much more than that.

With all that he did as a player, Di Canio was asked where he would rank a victory on Sunday in his list of achievements.

“This is the best,” he said. “It is the best trophy I can win as a manager. The emotion you can feel as a manager is completely different from when you play football.

“As a player I won the league with AC Milan, I won the UEFA Cup with Juventus so I won important trophies and celebrated with my teammates. I felt like I was blonde, two metres tall and had blue eyes – the most beautiful boy in the world.

“But as a manager you probably cannot celebrate in the same manner because you arrive at the moment full of stress, but the emotion you feel inside and that you give emotional feeling to the others and it is your product going on the field and doing what they do makes this the best.

“It is the best trophy I can win. Even in 10 years’ time when we win the Champions League I will remember this as the start of my career.”

Di Canio is a student of the Samurai culture and it was of little surprise that he likened himself to an ancient general leading his troops into battle when speaking of his preparations for Sunday’s game.

“In some way I feel like a general from 1,000 years ago who guided his troops into battle,” he continued.

“The soldiers have to listen to your details, take in your information and keep their discipline, otherwise they cannot win the battle.

“To guide a team to this moment and you arrive at a moment where you can win something as a manager, gives me satisfaction.”

Rallying his troops will certainly be a big task, perhaps his biggest of the season given that each and every member of the Town squad will be desperate to be named in that first 11.

Skipper Paul Caddis faces a race against time to be fit while Di Canio will have a big decision to make on who takes position on the left wing.

Raffa De Vita played a key part in Town reaching the final, and with Luke Rooney ineligible he looked certain to start on Sunday. However, the recent arrival of Lee Holmes certainly gives Di Canio a selection headache.

“I know there will be some players disappointed, but I am the manager and I have to make the right decision for the team,” said Di Canio.

“I need to think who works best against Chesterfield and pick my players on that decision only.”

Chesterfield have bigger concerns than a victory on Sunday, with the Spireites struggling at the foot of League One.

With Town, in contrast, flying high at the top of League Two, they are unsurprisingly favourites to win.

And if they do, how will Di Canio celebrate?

“I won’t explode or jump with joy and go celebrate at a disco like a player might do,” he said.

“As a manager I am sure I will close myself off one hour after the game and start planning for Saturday’s game against Bristol Rovers.”