Phil Smith's alternative Sunderland team of the decade: From Zenden's volley to Ji's magic moment
Sunderland supporters earlier this week voted for their team of the decade.
By Phil Smith
Published 25th Dec 2019, 11:45 BST
It has been a testing ten years, Sunderland struggling to stay afloat in the Premier League before plummeting to the joint lowest-position in its entire history.
There has been anguish, anger and disastrous signings aplenty.
There were brief, dizzying highs too, of course, and the likes of Jermain Defoe, Darren Bent and Jordan Henderson were rightly recognised for the heights they reached on Wearside.
To battle against the gloom and frustration with the club's current malaise, I went back through the decade to pull together an alternative team.
The criteria was simple.
The players must either have made a solid contribution worth recalling even if they fell just shy of the main XI's standards and longevity, or, they must have made a single outstanding contribution that lifted us all.
Here they are....
There were brief, dizzying highs too, of course, and the likes of Jermain Defoe, Darren Bent and Jordan Henderson were rightly recognised for the heights they reached on Wearside.
5. ANTHONY REVEILLERE
Not enough appearances to truly be considered for the team of the decade but hard to recall to many players showing so much class in a Sunderland shirt in this generally testing decade. Signed at 34 with the club in a difficult spot, his performances and attitude were absolutely exemplary. Photo: FRANK REID 2015
His positioning, intelligence and poise in possession was a breath of fresh air. Injuries meant Sunderland ultimately never saw enough of him but his level of performance towards the end of that first season was superb, and showed exactly why he had been at Bayern Munich. Photo: Frank Reid
Had he stayed on a little longer, as he should have done, would have been a solid contender for the main XI. A wonderful footballer even in the latter stages of his career, his dance at Stamford Bridge was a glorious moment and the Stadium of Light has rarely seen a better strike than his stunning volley against Spurs. Captains this alternative side. Photo: Owen Humphreys
Makes this side as well as the main team. He was just that good, and that enjoyable to watch. Played the game on his own terms and perhaps the best thing about him was that he allied craft and guile with a willingness to get stuck in when needed. Photo: TY