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Hear Hear. It just has to happen after this... Robbie won't be sharp after his injury, and if he stays at Spurs probably will find himself out of the first 11reckoning. I would absolutely love to see Stokesy and Doyle play together... Be worth the admission. What better team to give him his international bow against, ease him in gradually. But then again, isn't that what everybody agreed on last time? Apart from "the gaffer"? Dynamo Kerry, Sounds like you got your money's worth?!
To quote the Falkirk website's report on the game -
" A fine display from Falkirk... and Anthony Stokes.. absolutely breathtaking"
I dont want to be a Moaning Micheal but how many of these goals were scored against the top 4 teams?
The saga about Stoke's future drags on.
The ST reports that Celtic are on the verge of signing him and that he has certainly played his last game for Falkirk.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...4398_1,00.html
Any takers?
Arsenal are my favourite team in England but they have acted so sloppily over
Stokes future its really ****ed me off.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...rk/6221293.stmQuote:
Irish teenage striker Anthony Stokes has played his last game for Falkirk, BBC Scotland understands.
The SPL's top goalscorer with 14 goals has been on loan from Arsenal but it is understood that deal, which expires on 31 December, will not be extended.
The 18-year-old is due to return to London, but is likely to be sold in the January transfer window.
I'd absolutely love him to join Celtic.
Obviously that would be very nice with ye olde Irish connection or whatever, but I just want to see him play in the Premiership, on the bigger stage and carving out as big a career as possible for himself. Celtic can be such a comfort zone. He'd score even more goals for Celtic than he already is though...
He's young and very, very promising. That said, I am discouraged by the fact that Arsenal are willing to sell him. Wegner is a phenomenal judge of talent so it concerns me that he is willing to let him go.
Someone said it earlier but you'd have to ask why Arsenal signed him in the first place if they're going to sell him now when it's impossible to do much better than he's doing atm.
Even stranger when they've kept Aliadiere all these years when he hasn't done anything near what Stokes has done. I think that Stokes wants out to get regular football.Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
Aliadiere isn't good enough and he won't be at Arsenal next year.
Not to be a downer but 9 of Stokes' goals have been hat-tricks. Perhaps he is streaky?
Again, I'm concerned that Wegner is willing to sell him. Perhaps he thinks Stokes has found his "level".
Mind you, he should start against San Marino as I think he will tear them apart.
Aresnal haven't sold him yet, if I were cynical I I'd say if he spoke a foreign language he would stay. Apart from Stokes the Gunners have all of 6 English & Irish players - all youths really - with squad numbers and about 26 foreigners. Of the 6 non-foreigners only Walcott & Hoyte play first team football on a regular basis. His chances for advancement are probably better elsewhere. A top 10 Championship team or Celtic would be his best bet.
I'd like to see him go to the Championship rather than Celtic.
Less pressure and more time to work on his game.
NEWSFLASH: Just got this from Wikipedia...Could be a Gremlin but its interesting nonetheless...
"Anthony Stokes (born July 25, 1988 in Dublin) is an Irish footballer, who currently plays for Celticl after Signing for the Bhoys the deal will start on January First signing a 3 year deal for £1,000,000. He normally plays as a striker or attacking midfielder. He is a current Irish Under 21 international."
Why are you mentioning Duff? Nobody brought him up. My point is that he has had a great start but that many of his goals were against relatively poor opposition.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy
Wegner does not rate him which is a cause for concern given the fact that he is a very good judge of talent.
Leave the crap out of this and just debate the subject at hand,
Got sent this article on a Celtic Mailing list, apparently it's from the times, but I can't find a link to the article online
The SPL’s leading goalscorer and Ireland B international, Anthony Stokes
— who has been on loan from Arsenal to Falkirk since the start of the
season — is on the verge of joining Celtic.
The Scottish champions are in talks with Arsenal’s chairman, David Dein,
about the 18-year-old Dublin striker, below, joining either permanently
or on loan till the end of the season. Celtic are already reported to
have had a £750,000 bid for Stokes turned down by Arsenal. Charlton
Athletic have also shown interest in Stokes, though the appointment of
Alan Pardew at The Valley may have changed that situation. Pardew is
believed to have been impressed by Stokes when he saw him playing for
the Arsenal reserves against his old side West Ham, but his priorities
may lie elsewhere.
Stokes’ goals have helped steer Falkirk into mid-table and the
semi-final of the CIS Cup. He has scored 16 goals, including yesterday’s
hat-trick, his third since his loan move to the Bairns began with a 4-0
defeat by Rangers in September. Falkirk manager John Hughes had hoped to
extend the striker’s loan deal — which expires at midnight — until next
May but Stokes has almost certainly played his last game for the club.
If a deal can’t be reached to take him to Parkhead, he will end up back
at Arsenal for the time being at least.
So Liam Brady and Arsene Wenger don't count?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy
You mean the chairman didn't know of him a couple of months ago? I'd be suprised if the people that matter (ie. the manager) at every single premiership club didn't know of him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy
tets - the link to that was posted by geysir a few posts back.
I was over in Edinburgh for New Year's Eve and got talking to a Falkirk supporter. Much and all that he loves Stokes, he says that a young Irish player there called Cregg is "the new Roy Keane". Anyone know anything about him ?
Everybody's the new Roy Keane. He's a holding midfielder who also played for Arsenal. Linked with Celtic a few months ago. A solid player but I haven't seen enough of him to comment. I've seen plenty of Falkirk but he has never stood out.
Hughes on Stokes:
Quote:
"It's not done and dusted yet. Anthony is away back to Arsenal to sort out his future.
"I've got so much respect for Arsenal but we are still hopeful that he might be back for us.
"I will keep the door open as long as I can but I owe it to the Falkirk supporters to go and get my work
"I've got one or two other irons in the fire. If that means bringing in another striker then so be it.
"Stokesy's a great player to have in your squad. He's a great kid to work with.
"I spoke to Arsenal this morning and they have been great. They want him down there so they can talk to him about his future.
"Whatever they decide we'll respect it.
It was right in front of you on Footie :)Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
The link to the ST article was already posted here (message 407).
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...4398_1,00.html
This is true, he's back at Arsenal, and considering he's been on fire, in exceptional form and scored a hat trick a matter of days ago, you think in the off chance he might just have got a place on the bench for tonight, as Arsenal have been firing blanks, they have about 4/5 strikers and attackers out injured and Bendter and Lupoli are still out on loan. But no, Henry recalled from exile and the absolutely hapless and hopeless Jeremie Aliaderie the only recognised striker on the bench. So yeah, Wenger probably just wants to make some money out of him at this stage. As regards Cregg, extremely determined, quite passionate...hence the lofty Keano comparisons. But the ability isn't quite apparent just yet...i.e. Falkirk fan getting very carried away.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fergie's Son
he's another former arsenal lad, scored a peno yesterday aswell.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
i played with him when i was younger, always was a quality player, i've been tracking him for years as has my dad who used to train him, and i really hope he does well for himself. gonna try and go over before the end of the season to see him play
its impossible to tell how he's gonna do in the future though, stokes bangs in a rake of goals and the whole of england takes notice, its a little harder for a central midfielder to make an impression
True - early days. Still, given the paucity of midfielders, its great to see someone even showing some early potential.Quote:
Originally Posted by McGinty
Here's Falkirk v Inverness highlights:
http://www.zshare.net/video/falkirk3inverness1-avi.html
Download link
Nice pass from Cregg for one of the goals.
cheers eirebhoy, any chance of anyone putting up any more falkirk links, i'll relying on bogey youtube for my falkirk updates!
Does anyone know how long he has left on his contract with Aresnal?
They would be crazy to sell him now and get about a million for him, when he could be a star of the future and go on to be worth much more than that. He's only 18. Far to early to make a concrete decision on him. If I was them I'd loan him out to a EPL team for the rest of the season - on the condition that he gets at least 30 mins to ease him in for his first game and then starts the next 5 games. Then it's up to the loan team after that if they want to keep him in the starting 11. It's not going to do him anygood to get the odd 15 min subs appearance and waste his time like Giuseppe Rossi at Newcastle. That would be a step backwards from starting every week with Falkirk. I'd say teams like Aston Villa, Charlton, Watford, Sheff Utd and Man City would all give him a chance.
are you for real! what team in the EPL would agree to this in fairness - no matter how he plays he has got to start the first 5 games - get a grip! the only conditions you hear about loan deals is they aren't allowed to play against the team loaning out the player.Quote:
Originally Posted by Irish_Praha
with relegation, european qualification, more money for finishing higher up the table ... etc you would never hear of this. i'm sure warnock would agree to it straight away (in your dreams) while he tries to keep SU in the league yet is forced to play some young lad for a third of their remaining games no matter how he performs!!
i think you may be playing too many Champ Manager games my son!
Apparantly Wenger said in last nights programme that he'll be loaned out for the rest of the season. I don't know how true that is. With Darren Bent getting injured I wouldn't be suprised to see him go to Charlton.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUJISZo4RBQ
Its Arsenal's top ten reserve goals from last season. Check it out, Stokes's goals are brilliant individual efforts, remember he was 17 at the time and he's also right footed, he stands out a mile on this footage. Cregg has a goal in there too.
Actually not true. Have it on good authority that the reason sunderland didnt take him on loan at the start of the season was that arsenal insisted he play every game. bet they are kicking themselves now!Quote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
Was talking to the Cherry Orchard u18s manager a few days ago when I was over in Dublin as he was actually my taxi driver. He was telling me how Stokes' dad is banned from the Cherry Orchard clubhouse and grounds as he is a bit of a rat. Also I was told that Stokes had a deal in principle with Man United but then his father went out calling clubs toting him around for a new deal which Arsenal came up with.
I know a guy from Cherry Orchard as well and allegedly that is true. Allegedly he stole an entire underage team (U-13/U14) and took them all to Shelbourne so you could understand why they would be miffed about something like that.
I think the reason Stokes hasn't got more chances with Arsenal is probably because of the interferring influence of his father. He now works for the same agency that took Ashley Cole to Chelsea.
According to 2fm this morning Roy Keane is going to speak to Stokes in the next few days about him coming to Sunderland. I hear they're stuck for Irish strikers there alright.
Also, from today's Indo: http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/stor...=12&si=1748851
Hughes accepts Stokes delay
Thursday January 4th 2007
FALKIRK manager John Hughes says he is willing to wait a couple of weeks in the hope that Anthony Stokes will be allowed to return to the Bairns, WRITES DANIEL McDONNELL.
Stokes is in London to discuss his future with Arsenal amid speculation that Celtic are willing to make a bid for him while Sunderland and Charlton prepare loan moves.
It means that a return to Falkirk is unlikely but Hughes won't be signing another striker to replace him until he knows his future plans for certain.
"We are sitting tight for the next couple of weeks and if nothing happens then maybe we will get him back," says Hughes. "I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place at the moment."
I heard this morning on NewsTalk that Sunderland, Charlton and Celtic all had 2million pound offers accepted by Arsenal. I'd like to see if he could do a job at Charlton I think.
silly me i must have fallen asleep and missed sunderland's promotion to the EPL (aka english premier league)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Billsthoughts
OK maybe the loan team wouldn't agree to starting him for 5 games in a row but some sort of deal should be arranged where he is gaurenteed a minimum amount of play time using that as a starting point. You don't get if you don't ask ;) The idea would be to see how he copes in the EPL and if he is worth keeping. It would be a futile exercise if they loan him out and he only gets the odd 15 min sub appearance. With one of the Bents injured and Hasselbank being pursued by West Ham I think Charlton would agree to at least give him 3 starts in a row if they got him on loan. Barring injury and suspension of course.Quote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
Stokes must be the most over-rated irish players since...well the last next best thing. Do other countries fall over themselves with optimism when some young kid scores a hattrick against Dunfirmline.
Stokes has no scored a league goal against any top half of the table side in the SPL. The best league goal scored was against Kilmarnock (7th place).
:rolleyes:
Noel Hunt has even scored 8 goals in the SPL but at least 2 were against the old firm.
He scored against Celtic in the cup.