Anthony Stokes (F free agent b.1988)

[Stuttgart88]

Pretty impressive left footed volley from a tight angle today for Celtic's opener. The net was unguarded but the degree of difficulty of the finish was quite high.

[Charlie Darwin]

Says he'd be willing to talk to other clubs if his contract isn't sorted soon: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/anthony-stokes-im-ready-talk-2343691

[DeLorean]

Wrong thread I know but seeing as there was a recent flurry of Samaras (http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/435606/Barcelona-eyeing-up-Celtic-forward-Georgios-Samaras) posts!

[kev mcq]

I definitely see Stokes as Robbie's most obvious successor.
He's a natural goal scorer and a good poacher. Not as good a poacher as Robbie but few are.
I think he's better in other areas than Robbie.

For me the order of Irish strikers (excluding Robbie) would be:

Stokes
Long
Walters
Doyle
Cox (though we've rarely see him play up front for Ireland. When he has he's done well)

LOL...

[ArdeeBhoy]

And your suggestion, kev, is...

[Fixer82]

Thought he did ok tonight. It's his 5th International cap.
Thought Doyle played well too.
Surprised at no substitutions

[irishfan86]

Thought Stokes' movement was great. Obviously finishing let him down but if he gets more comfortable with the team we could see him flourish (at last).

[liamoo11]

Thought he did ok tonight. It's his 5th International cap.
Thought Doyle played well too.
Surprised at no substitutions

Agree on stokes. Thought doyle was poor he had no idea how to do the defensive side of the role and got dragged inside and seemed to switch off so often.To be fair he has likely never played that role before which makes picking him there ahead of the likes of mcgeady a strange move. He also contributed nothing on the ball apart from the 20 year out of date tore andre flo headers.

Samaras plays that role well for celtic even though he can be frustrating but he has the technical ability that allow him keep the ball in tight spaces combined with decent acceleration and dribbling that allows him be an attacking threat even against the likes of barca and milan. Doyle has very little of those abilities.He is a target man who dosent score goals and not much more. S\

Stokes did a very good job but I think he would also do well in the doyle role with long up front and mcgeady on the other side.

[Charlie Darwin]

Won a penalty with a neat little touch and the defender took him out. Wonder if he or Samaras will take it.

edit: Forrest?

[back of the net]

Just signed a 3 year contract extension with Celtic




"Celtic striker Anthony Stokes signs a new three-year contract.

Stokes has been a key player for Celtic after returning from a lengthy injury lay-off towards the end of last season and contract negotiations have been protracted.

"Celtic are delighted to announce that Anthony Stokes has today signed a new three-year contract with the club," the club tweeted.
"

[SkStu]

Scored first in Celtics 2-1 loss to Aberdeen in the cup.


Celtic took the lead with their first chance of the game. A beautifully flighted ball from Georgios Samaras found Stokes who took one touch and finished through the legs of Aberdeen goalkeeper Jamie Langfield.

[Junior]

Has failed to kick on from the good season he had when partnering Hooper.

It was a shoddy performance from Celtic at the weekend. Stokes' goal was well taken, a long ball through which he controlled with a lovely first touch and slotted away nicely. However, that was about it from him.

Really hoped he would step up to the plate but he just doesn't appear to want to be the main man - He likes to drift out of the box and in to the channels. Samaras has been way off the boil this season (and will likely be gone in the Summer on a Bosman) and the likes of Pukki, Balde have come in to the squad but are not exactly setting the place on fire. Now Leigh Griffiths has been brought in. The stage is set for Stokes, to bang a few goals on to his tally, the league is won already by a canter. No Cup or European games now....every chance the season will fizzle out for Celtic and with that Stokes' chances to impress unless he starts to have much more of an impact in the remaining spfl games. (8 goals in 33 so far this season). He's 26 in July according to Wiki........

[geysir]

Strange to have the necessary extraordinary exquisite touch to control that assist and dispatch it into the net and then do little else in the game.

[Fixer82]

A bit disappointed he's elected to stay at Celtic. He surely could've gottena deal at a lower Premier or Championship club which is a higher standard than a one-horse race league

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Sheridan has got moves to CSKA Sofia and APOEL. Adam Rooney was wanted by Kuban Krasnodar and a couple of other continental clubs. Stokes is better and higher profile than either of them so he could probably get a decent move to a decent standard continental team, so I was disappointed in a way that he signed a new contract at Celtic. I would have liked to see him test himself in a better league on a more consistent basis. Of course, he is probably too content going to nightclubs and getting the shift to express himself in new surroundings.

As for the prospective Flood call up, that is a strange one.

[Stuttgart88]

If he can't stand out for Celtic on a regular basis I don't think he has a chance of getting a better move or becoming a regular for us. Fringe player for me.

[Fixer82]

If he can't stand out for Celtic on a regular basis I don't think he has a chance of getting a better move or becoming a regular for us. Fringe player for me.

have to agree

[kennedmc]

the Spl is his level. He gets the time & space to score the odd decent goal there. I'd guess his new contract is worth 4/5 k a week....


He is only 18 months younger then Shane Long and Long is a far more effective all around player. That's why he is an in demand regular in the Premier league and stokes is a sub in the SplSpl

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I think Stokes looked good enough in some of the Champions League games. He was unlucky not to score a couple of times, hitting the woodwork against Milan if I recall and he won a penalty against Ajax. I also remember him being class in a few Europa League games before that. More pertinently though, he was a lot more effective playing against Germany than Cox or Walters have ever been in most of their appearances.

His goalscoring record in England is underwhelming but it took Long a while to start scoring goals regularly too. Aside from being very young, Stokes was played on the wing a lot, whenever he did play.

[kennedmc]

I think Stokes looked good enough in some of the Champions League games. He was unlucky not to score a couple of times, hitting the woodwork against Milan if I recall and he won a penalty against Ajax. I also remember him being class in a few Europa League games before that. More pertinently though, he was a lot more effective playing against Germany than Cox or Walters have ever been in most of their appearances.

His goalscoring record in England is underwhelming but it took Long a while to start scoring goals regularly too. Aside from being very young, Stokes was played on the wing a lot, whenever he did play.

I think its about stokes all around game that is the problem. If you look at the premier league how many forwards consistently score 10 plus a season outside the top teams , not many.

the reason why Doyle and long are / were good pl strikers is their overall contribution to the team, their physicality, their desire to win their ability to run behind or hold the ball up etc.

stokes needs too much time on the ball and doesn't do anything really well - he may hAve a half decent touch but that's about it - and that gets you to the fringes of Celtic. (& also useful for Celtic to have irish player connections )

Wenger said his best position was as an attacking midfielder and wanted him to play there in arsenal youth teams - Stokes said he wanted to be a Striker......wonder who was right?

[John83]

I think its about stokes all around game that is the problem... {snip}

stokes needs too much time on the ball and doesn't do anything really well - he may hAve a half decent touch but that's about it ... {snip}

Wenger said his best position was as an attacking midfielder and wanted him to play there in arsenal youth teams - Stokes said he wanted to be a Striker......wonder who was right?
I wonder what talents Wenger saw that made him think attacking midfielder? Stokes must have had potential in attributes other than first touch and finishing to prompt that.

[geysir]

Another lovely piece of link up play and skill from Stokes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=6N1nNtMs0Go

[geysir]

Stokes Stokes Stokes.

A hat trick for Stokes, who's having a good game.
No doubt stung by Stutts' requiem.

[Junior]

Good man Anthony. Nice to see you taking on board the constructive career advice provided here on foot.ie!!

[geysir]

Actually Junior, the career advice was terminal.
Stokes has miraculously transformed it into something constructive.

[DeLorean]

His opener here (http://www.joe.ie/football/football-news/video-anthony-stokes-scores-hat-trick-for-celtic-including-this-cracker/)

[Charlie Darwin]

His opener here (http://www.joe.ie/football/football-news/video-anthony-stokes-scores-hat-trick-for-celtic-including-this-cracker/)
geysir posted a better version of the same four posts up :p

[geysir]

Typical DeLorean!
cool on the outside, but always struggling underneath the hood.

[tetsujin1979]

Sixth career hat trick, three each for Falkirk and Celtic

[DeLorean]

geysir posted a better version of the same four posts up :p

I guess that's strike two after my grammar malfunction.

[samhaydenjr]

Now that David McGoldrick has found a blood link to Ireland and Shane Long and Kevin Doyle have started to find the net again for new clubs, perhaps this hat-trick is a sign that Stokes realises that his path back to the national side is not as straightforward as "Trap resigns"

[tetsujin1979]

Highlights from the Celtic game yesterday, including Stokes' hat trick
9heo-SZOApM

for mods the SPL put all goals from games on their youtube channel so this is a legal video

[geysir]

for mods the SPL put all goals from games on their youtube channel so this is a legal video

Why do you write that tets? to highlight that you can be a goody goody unlike the rest of the unwashed?:) Considering that we have links to highlights/incidents/goals from games in all sorts of competitions, are the mods going to have a little party because the bord's conscience can take morsel of moral relief from one link to a legal video, after the avalanche of status unknown youtube links over the past decade?
Should those who post video links, just write a side note FAO mods, 'afaia, this is a legal link to video highlight, as long as it stays up on youtube'?

[tetsujin1979]

Why do you write that tets? to highlight that you can be a goody goody unlike the rest of the unwashed?:) Considering that we have links to highlights/incidents/goals from games in all sorts of competitions, are the mods going to have a little party because the bord's conscience can take morsel of moral relief from one link to a legal video, after the avalanche of status unknown youtube links over the past decade?
Should those who post video links, just write a side note FAO mods, 'afaia, this is a legal link to video highlight, as long as it stays up on youtube'?
force of habit more than anything. recently, some of the other forums I'm on have introduced a strict policy on linking to videos

[SkStu]

Great goals! That first one was the pick of the bunch for me only because he made the space for the shot by himself so well. The last touch that he needed to take though is probably the reason why he's not a Premiership striker. There's a role for him in the Irish squad/team tough, lovely talent.

[Fixer82]

I imagine some of the teams south of the border looked at his off-field antics and thought...no thanks, don't need that hassle

[back of the net]

I imagine some of the teams south of the border looked at his off-field antics and thought...no thanks, don't need that hassle

Such a shame though he was the way he was off the field - really thought he had the potential have a much better career and go higher than what he has done so far.

I figure/guessing it was a main factor in wenger selling him

Christ by all accounts even Roy found him tough to deal with

[DeLorean]

I remember Liam Brady saying he was just lacking that extra bit of pace to make it at Arsenal.

[back of the net]

I remember Liam Brady saying he was just lacking that extra bit of pace to make it at Arsenal.

u do wonder though - if that was just a cover up , i.e arsenal didnt want to acknowledge he had off the field issues as maybe it wud be harder to sell him?

Ive always viewed stokes as a smart player on the pitch which in turn u (or at least I ) would have thought wud have suited wengers style?

[DeLorean]

Brady's comments were during one of the more recent Ireland games. I'd imagine he just said it like it was but who knows. I think time has proven that he is nowhere near Arsenal's required level anyway*, albeit a nice footballer.



(*Nicklas Bendtner, I know, I know)

[Fixer82]

Brady's comments were during one of the more recent Ireland games. I'd imagine he just said it like it was but who knows. I think time has proven that he is nowhere near Arsenal's required level anyway*, albeit a nice footballer.



(*Nicklas Bendtner, I know, I know)

I find it hard to take Brady seriously these days. He is ridiculously negative about anything Roy Keane does and is blinded by his disdain for Keane.

I'm sure he was a bit more objective about Stokes though

[CraftyToePoke]

He is ridiculously negative about anything Roy Keane does and is blinded by his disdain for Keane

He is, but then again he never got the chance to play midfield for Ireland in a major finals. Keane on the other hand .....

[Fixer82]

He is, but then again he never got the chance to play midfield for Ireland in a major finals. Keane on the other hand .....

touché

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Old(ish) article but interesting...

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ex-crystal-palace-boss-neil-warnock-3157029

Warnock takes a little credit for steering Stokes career in the right direction. He rates him more than Griffiths and calls him Celtic's main man up front. He also thinks he can be a success for Ireland, if given a chance.

[Junior]

Stokes has been given plenty of chances for club and some for country. He will get more chances I'm sure. Its not being given the chance that is the issue - Stokesy needs to take the chance......

[geysir]

Warnock is not shy to exaggerate the sense of his importance in the lives of others, those who have crossed paths with him and were recipients of his great wisdom and insight.

[Charlie Darwin]

Poor Anthony, lured back to Ireland by the FAI, not even given a game and then handed over to the police: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/republic-of-ireland-striker-anthony-stokes-charged-with-assault-causing-harm-1.1715207

[Roberto]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11787/9199574/celtic-striker-anthony-stokes-has-been-charged-with-assault

Just beat me to it. Nearly a case of Jailhouse Rock!

[DeLorean]

Poor Anthony, lured back to Ireland by the FAI, not even given a game and then handed over to the police: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/republic-of-ireland-striker-anthony-stokes-charged-with-assault-causing-harm-1.1715207

Jayney... he looks all shook up.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBghsrseHcs

Nice goal by Stokes today.