Jeremain Lens' arrival has sparked much excitement on Wearside, mainly for his pace, internationally-proven ability, and goalscoring potential. However, one crucial detail has been largely overlooked regarding the Dutchman: he has instantly improved the team's cool factor. Sunderland have never been the coolest of clubs. They lack the youthful swagger of a club like Arsenal or Southampton, and their most impressive players in recent years never generated the excitement of a personality such as a Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Andrea Pirlo. Niall Quinn, Kevin Phillips, Jordan Henderson and Lee Cattermole, although undoubtedly fantastic on the pitch, are all far less interesting than the stars of fellow Premier League teams in terms of sheer coolness. Sunderland's current squad were recently pictured on a boat trip around San Francisco Bay, and resembled a gaggle of cheeky schoolboys as opposed to a team of professional footballers - one of the most envied professions in the world. That's not to say the Black Cats haven't boasted a smooth operator or two among their ranks from time to time, but these figures tend to be extremely rare at the Stadium of Light. Hopefully Lens' arrival will give the Black Cats a slightly more impressive sheen this season, but until then, it's time to look back at the ten coolest Sunderland players of the Premier League era.
