Anthony Stokes (F free agent b.1988) [Archive] - Page 8

Calcio Jack

30/11/2006, 10:07 AM

I saw a report on Newnight about the date of births of top sportmen it was making the point that those who are old for their school year tend to do well, the theory being that they were noticed by spotters/scouts as being better than other in their year, however you would expect this because they were older.
It said that most of the players in academies where born Sept - Dec (about 75% I think, not sure exacly what they said) compared to only 2% for August
(which means you are the youngest in your year).
It seems Conner was born in October so he fits into that group. The point I am making is that some players may appear to be good simply because of their birth date and this will be negated as they get older, however they will obviously benefit from being in an academy.

Actually I found the report however it appears to have no sound :rolleyes:
I guess that is what I pay my license fee for!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi/bb_rm_fs.stm?news=1&bbram=1&bbwm=1&nbram=1&nbwm=1&nol_storyid=6194160

Surely the kids who's birthday is January should fare best....

For underage soccer teams it's your age on the 1st January that is the defining factor... eg a kid born January 1996 and a and one born Dec 1996, would both have an age of 9 on January 1st 2006. Thus at the start of this season (Sept) both would be eligible to play on an under 10 team, even though the kid born in January could in theory be up to 363 days older than the kid born in Dec.

Peadar

30/11/2006, 10:35 AM

He's talking about the school year.
I always thought I was at an advantage because people in my class were almost a year older than me so I was "mature" for my age. :D

I can see the other side of the coin though.
Having said that, Thierry Henry and William Gallas have the same birthday as me.

DmanDmythDledge

30/11/2006, 8:34 PM

Yeah, that's him. He's working as a scout for Irish talent, getting them moves to England, and helping them settle over there when they do move
So basically he kills domestic footabll in Ireland by sending them all off to England rather than play at home.

tetsujin1979

01/12/2006, 1:00 AM

So basically he kills domestic footabll in Ireland by sending them all off to England rather than play at home.

That's one way of looking at it. Someone else could say that by helping players to settle when they've moved abroad, it can only help their development - how many promising players have come back and failed because they couldn't settle in the first few months?

Either way I'm not going to call him a pimp.

irishfan86

01/12/2006, 8:54 AM

So basically he kills domestic footabll in Ireland by sending them all off to England rather than play at home.

Domestic football is killed because the teams here don't have enough money, the coaching is not at a high enough level to develop talent on a consistent basis, the facilities are ****, etc etc.

If they're going to move to England anyway, they may as well get support.

Calcio Jack

01/12/2006, 9:23 AM

Domestic football is killed because the teams here don't have enough money, the coaching is not at a high enough level to develop talent on a consistent basis, the facilities are ****, etc etc.

If they're going to move to England anyway, they may as well get support.

Sure any kid going to england should get support... that's not the same as been signed up by an "agent" who is only interested in how much they stand to make out the kid... hence the already mentioned reference to pimps

mr.brightside

01/12/2006, 9:57 AM

sure look at john paul kelly..... left liverpool to come back to bohs and with rumours theres afew clubs looking at him to go back to england!!!

Heard he had trouble with where he was living and stuff like that.... surley bringing a youth to liverpool on his own, whom liverpool in fact rated very highley, had to look after him better!!!!

youngirish

01/12/2006, 10:52 AM

Back to the topic of the thread:

Celtic confirm interest in Arsenal young gun

December 1, 2006

Bank of Scotland Premierleague leaders Celtic have confirmed that they have watched Republic of Ireland �B� international striker Anthony Stokes �on four or five occasions� with a view to a January transfer swoop.

Stokes has made a massive impression in Scotland since joining Falkirk on loan from Premiership big guns Arsenal earlier in the season.

Currently top scorer in the SPL with 11 goals from as many appearances, he is due to return to Arsenal at the end of the month.

Falkirk manager John Hughes is keen on keeping him at the club until the end of the season, but news of Celtic�s interest could scupper those plans.

Bhoys chief scout Ray Clarke said: �What we said to [the Celtic first-team management] was that we would watch Anthony Stokes on four or five occasions and then make our decision.

"To be fair to the lad, we�ve just about done that, and my understanding is we�ll maybe have one more good look at him in action.

"Once the Champions League group campaign is over with next week�s final match in Copenhagen, we�ll sit down on all our activities and the manager will decide the way ahead.�

Stokes will miss Saturday�s meeting with Rangers due to suspension having been sent off against Motherwell last weekend.

Peadar

01/12/2006, 10:59 AM

Yeah but you were in the slow learners class Peadar!

Wouldn't it have been that the slow learners were in my class, considering that I was so much younger than them? :confused:

:p

Short interview with Stokes... (http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=432286&plid=43858&clid=330&cpid=14)
Celtic confirm Stokes talks with Arsenal... (http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?HLID=432454&CPID=14&title=Celtic+consider+Stokes+bid&lid=&channel=Football_Home&f=rss&clid=61)

FootballsKing

01/12/2006, 12:29 PM

so thats Celtic, Everton, Newcastle, Cardiff, Wolves and Sunderland that have been linked with stokes so far. surely one of them will come in with an official bid and it will be interesting to see arsenals reaction.

i must say im suprised Watford havent been linked yet, what with one fit, yet relatively untalented out and out striker at the club

Peadar

01/12/2006, 12:37 PM

Stokes has already said that he has no interest in a loan move to another Premiership club. Would be very surprised to see Arsenal sell him to another Prem club. At the moment, the most likely outcome is an extension to his loan deal at Falkirk.

FootballsKing

01/12/2006, 12:49 PM

Not what i heard, and considering that my source is a slightly more reliable one than you have i think ill believe that stokes would go on loan to a premiership club

in case you dispute this, my source is infact stokes himself

youngirish

01/12/2006, 1:07 PM

Peadar

01/12/2006, 1:24 PM

We have to put up with some serious langers on this forum!

Quotes from Stokes, reported in Scotland on Sunday. (http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=1452572006)

"I was 15 when I first went over to train and I was in awe," he says. "But you get used to it and the limelight is taken off because you are working at your game. You don't think 'hey, I'm playing here with Henry'. That might be because even when coming over at first I did train an awful lot with the first team.
"Of course, when there are bigger games coming up it is mainly just the players who are going to play who train together. But Arsenal almost have two first-team squads. It is hard because of that but it but helps you improve. As a youngster especially, you want to be playing with the top players in the world and I have done that.
"The tempo you play at is not going to get any higher. You are not going to go to another club where they are going to move the ball quicker or have better passing skills. So you are playing right at the top and the only way is down. "
And teenagers, unless they have cost �12m like the young Irishman's team-mate Theo Walcott, can find themselves sliding down rapidly through becoming lost at so monumental an organisation. "Of course that can happen," Stokes says. "But you want to start at the top of the ladder; give yourself the best chance. I didn't want to go to a lower Premiership club because where do you go after if things don't go right? You want to strive to be the best you can be. I am with one of the best teams in Europe and I want to see if I can play here. I hope the experience of Arsenal will stand me in good stead whether I stay there or move on."

republicofwhite

01/12/2006, 1:31 PM

Is there any chance of that Stokes interview on Sky Sports news being posted on YouTube?

Stuttgart88

04/12/2006, 3:19 PM

Anyone see how Cregg played yesterday?

AustinoAsprilla

04/12/2006, 3:26 PM

Does anybody else think Stokes is alot like Rooney when he was that age... Quite similar to Pele as well when he was that age...

AustinoAsprilla

04/12/2006, 3:29 PM

Or are we just building up another kid like we have done before so effectively before turning on them if they dont live up to it? David Connolly hat Trick Lansdowne ring any bells...

Stuttgart88

04/12/2006, 3:37 PM

C'mon, we're allowed to get excited by his great start to his career. I maintain that there's nothing conclusive but as fans it'd be odd if we didn't pay attention to his form.

And I don't think there's been much that's been in any way OTT by the way.

Billsthoughts

04/12/2006, 3:55 PM

Does anybody else think Stokes is alot like Rooney when he was that age... Quite similar to Pele as well when he was that age...

If anything stokes is better than both of them were at that age...

DmanDmythDledge

04/12/2006, 3:57 PM

If anything stokes is better than both of them were at that age...
Pele was part of a World Cup winning team at 17.

Rooney was scoring a marginally less amount of goals at a higher level at the same age.

No comparison...

Billsthoughts

04/12/2006, 4:08 PM

yeah pele won a world cup in the olden days. It was easy scoring then. just bundle over the goalie. defenders not really fit. Rooney didnt score many at stokes age did he? sure Rooney is washed up now anyways..

eirebhoy

04/12/2006, 4:09 PM

Pele was part of a World Cup winning team at 17.

Rooney was scoring a marginally less amount of goals at a higher level at the same age.

No comparison...
http://home.student.uu.se/hape2405/aabf18_sarcasm_detector.jpg

;)

DmanDmythDledge

04/12/2006, 4:12 PM

Rooney didnt score many at stokes age did he? sure Rooney is washed up now anyways..
He had about 10 by this part of the season at the same age as Stokes.

http://home.student.uu.se/hape2405/a...m_detector.jpg

;)
^^^^^^

;)

Billsthoughts

04/12/2006, 4:20 PM

He had about 10 by this part of the season at the same age as Stokes.

So stokes has more then? therefore stokes is better.

Closed Account

04/12/2006, 4:21 PM

He had about 10 by this part of the season at the same age as Stokes.

Stokes is 18 and 4 months old.
He has scored 13 goals in 13 starts for Falkirk

In 2003-2004 season when Rooney turned 18 in october of that season, Rooney scored 9 goals in 40 appearances. Impossible for Rooney to have scored more than Stokes.

And neither player would classify themselves as out and out goalscorers.

Therefore Stokes IS better.

DmanDmythDledge

04/12/2006, 4:21 PM

So stokes has more then? therefore stokes is better.
Rooney was playing at a much higher level- The Premiership- had played less games, had just come back from injury. He also scored a CL hat trick.

]Stokes is 18 and 4 months old.
He has scored 12 goals in 12 starts for Falkirk

In 2003-2004 season when Rooney turned 18 in october of that season, Rooney scored 9 goals in 40 appearances. Impossible for Rooney to have scored more than Stokes.

And neither player would classify themselves as out and out goalscorers.
Sorry getting seasons mixed up.

Billsthoughts

04/12/2006, 4:30 PM

DmanDmythDledge

04/12/2006, 4:32 PM

Scottish people are renowned for being mean therefore its harder to score up there as they dont give anything away lightly. The culture of politeness in England means they think it bad manners not to let a young man like Rooney have a couple of goals to boost his confidance. therefore Stokes is better.
First of all I can't tell if you're an idiot, wum or sarcastic, but I'll answer that post anyway.

1. What has that got to do with football?

2. It obviously hasn't occured to you that players of a wide variety of nationalities play in both leagues.

Closed Account

04/12/2006, 4:39 PM

First of all I can't tell if you're an idot, wum or sarcastic, but I'll answer that post anyway.

With Falkirk having a latitude 56.32 and not being sheltered by the emerald isle and feeling the full force of the Southwesterly winds, surely climate is the determining factor in how good a footballer is.

Therefore Stokes is better, way better than Rooney and twice as good as Pele, at that age.

What's an idot? New Apple branded punctuation or something. I want one.

Billsthoughts

04/12/2006, 4:40 PM

He can only score in the games he plays in.
which he does.

Billsthoughts

04/12/2006, 4:42 PM

What's an idot? New Apple branded punctuation or something. I want one.

I would get the creative dotbox if I were you.
it has added grammar functionality which doesnt come as standard with the idot.

The Legend

04/12/2006, 5:35 PM

If he was so great, im sure he'd be playing for Arsenal... maybe he still will...

johnnyc

04/12/2006, 6:25 PM

Can we please put an end to the whole "if he was any good, he'd be playing for the Arsenal first team now" argument!

How many of the top players in the world have been absolute stars from the get go? Sure there are always players like Giggs, Fabregas, Rooney, Barry, Fowler that take to football like a duck to water at a very young age. But this is not always the case.

How many stars of the modern game had to work there way up through the ranks? How many brilliant players had to leave big clubs to progress in their careers. I'm pretty sure Celtic and Blackburn rue the day they let Given slip through their fingers. Andy Cole, one of the leagues all time greats couldn't cut it at Arsenal. Saha was a flop at Newcastle.

Give Stokes a break.

The Legend

04/12/2006, 6:52 PM

I totally agree, i am alluding to the fact that comparing him to Rooney right now is ridiculous.

eirebhoy

04/12/2006, 7:20 PM

I totally agree, i am alluding to the fact that comparing him to Rooney right now is ridiculous.
It was all sarcastic talk, nobody compared him to Rooney. :)

The Legend

04/12/2006, 8:58 PM

Ah happy days, at least we wont have to rely on Clinton "Look at me, im great" Morrison up front anymore nor "the Doc" being sent up there...

ifk101

05/12/2006, 6:35 AM

Ah happy days, at least we wont have to rely on Clinton "Look at me, im great" Morrison up front anymore nor "the Doc" being sent up there...

If there was an international tomorrow night, I'd have Morrison in the team before Stokes. But then again I'd have Keane, Doyle and Elliott in the team before Morrison ....

OwlsFan

05/12/2006, 8:02 AM

Ah happy days, at least we wont have to rely on Clinton "Look at me, im great" Morrison up front anymore nor "the Doc" being sent up there...

That's hard on Morrison. Suggests he doesn't work hard in an Irish shirt which is not true. He might not be a top player but I certainly wouldn't fault his application.

endabob1

05/12/2006, 8:09 AM

That's hard on Morrison. Suggests he doesn't work hard in an Irish shirt which is not true. He might not be a top player but I certainly wouldn't fault his application.

Clint has a lot of faults but lack of effort or application is not one of them, I've always thought he gives 100% for the shirt, he's no world beater but he's bigger and stronger and offers a different option to Keane, Doyle or Elliott

cavan_fan

05/12/2006, 8:50 AM

Clint has a lot of faults but lack of effort or application is not one of them, I've always thought he gives 100% for the shirt, he's no world beater but he's bigger and stronger and offers a different option to Keane, Doyle or Elliott

This shows my old git-ness. I really think we need to have either starting or on the bench a target man who is good in the air. I'm not sure any of these guys is that but maybe we just have to wait for Cavan's finest, Cillian Sheridan.

tetsujin1979

05/12/2006, 9:24 AM

Ah happy days, at least we wont have to rely on Clinton "Look at me, im great" Morrison up front anymore nor "the Doc" being sent up there...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Clinton is no longer first choice in the starting XI, but for me it's a weaker squad without him.

youngirish

05/12/2006, 9:46 AM

This shows my old git-ness. I really think we need to have either starting or on the bench a target man who is good in the air. I'm not sure any of these guys is that but maybe we just have to wait for Cavan's finest, Cillian Sheridan.

Daryl Murphy has been decent for Sunderland this season if we need another 'big man' option upfront. He's a better alternative than Lee or Doherty though I'd still stick Morrison in front of him who, no matter what anyone says, has always weighed in with a few goals for Ireland.

republicofwhite

05/12/2006, 11:42 AM

Clinton does work hard I'll admit but he stuggles big time. His lack of ability has just been way too apparent sometimes. Would unquestionably have Stokes ahead of him, maybe even Billy Clarke (Pace, skill, technical ability, finishing) If anybody has seen Stokes's goals this season they have all the hallmarks of a sublimely talented finisher, a natural goalscorer and someone with a predatory instinct and skill to match. And he's provided a lot of the goals all by himself. Its all about the natural talent. Anybody can have the workrate if they want. The whole "If he's that good then why isn't he playing for Arsenal" argument is joke. No teenager breaks through to one of the big four anymore and thats a fact. United have to buy Larsson instead of calling up Rossi, who Ferguson described as one of the best finishers he's ever seen. But you cant use teenagers anymore if you want to compete for the league. Wenger will also rue the day Stokes is banging them in in the Premiership.

tetsujin1979

05/12/2006, 1:17 PM

United have to buy Larsson instead of calling up Rossi, who Ferguson described as one of the best finishers he's ever seen.
United can't call Rossi back due to the terms of the loan agreement, Ferguson is reportedly fuming because of the amount of games he's getting for the Toon.
But I take your point, that instead of going for youth, they are buying a proven goalscorer.

tetsujin1979

05/12/2006, 1:17 PM

Stokes voted Scottish Young Player of the Month for November, clean sweep for the Irish so far in Scotland - McGeady and Stokes

Peadar

06/12/2006, 8:12 AM

Falkirk are set to hold talks with Arsenal regarding Stokes this week and the young Irishman has admitted he would happily stay at Falkirk.
"I'm just trying to get on with my football," said Stokes. "I'm looking forward to the next few games after missing the 1-0 win over Rangers through suspension - and hopefully scoring a few more goals.
"Nothing can happen until January. But I'm happy here and staying until the end of the season wouldn't bother me."
Stokes hopes his performances with Falkirk will increase his chances of making the breakthrough at Arsenal when he returns to the club.
"Even if I stay here at Falkirk until the end of the season, which I'll be happy with, I just want to score as many goals as I can," added Stokes.
"When I do go back to Arsenal hopefully I'll get a better chance then.
"But it's very hard for any young player at Arsenal and it was good for me to go out on loan and play up front where I want to play. I just have to keep doing what I'm doing. "I'm still very young, I'm only 18, I've still got three years left on my contract, so it's very early to say if I'm not getting first-team football I'm going to leave permanently."

Taken from SkySports.com (http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=433378&CPID=14&clid=3&lid=&title=Stokes+happy+to+stay+at+Falkirk)
A lot of the same stuff being rehashed but we'll see how the talks go this week.

tetsujin1979

06/12/2006, 9:34 AM

similar stuff in today's Indo: http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/stories.php3?ca=12&si=1736412

Nothing can happen until January. But I'm happy here and staying until the end of the season wouldn't bother me.

cavan_fan

06/12/2006, 11:10 AM

United can't call Rossi back due to the terms of the loan agreement, Ferguson is reportedly fuming because of the amount of games he's getting for the Toon.
But I take your point, that instead of going for youth, they are buying a proven goalscorer.

Rossi's loan ends in January and I cant see it being extended by either side.