QuoteThe FAI doesn't pick the team anyway. Who's he gonna call?
Who the f**k does Lennon think he is to call the FAI and tell them who they should be picking?
The FAI doesn't pick the team anyway. Who's he gonna call?
He's entitled, as is any manager has done in the past, present and future.
Maybe Pat Fenlon, being a Tim will also put in a word?
Anyway, Stokes isn't good enough, due to the reduced quality of the SPL, as much as anything else...
We have enough players playing better in the EPL currently.
Stokes is nowhere near good enough for the Irish squad. The strongest strike force in years for the squad, and he's calling for a SPL player to be in the squad? Laughable at minimum.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Celtic can at least draw with an Italian team, in Italy, in a competitive game.
If league standard is the barometer by which you can judge a player, then I wonder how Landon Donovan could blend in so well at Everton or Robbie Keane could recover a good part of his game in the MLS.
Stokes had done enough to get a call up to the squad last year but didn't turn up. The master only calls once, c'est la vie.
McGeady was called up while at Celtic because he was clearly good enough. Jelavic was in the same scenario with Croatia. Some of Stokes' movement and finishing in the Europa games was top class. Those are the games you have to judge him by and I'd say that he should at least be pushing for a place, attitude problems notwithstanding.
if stokes had of turned up last summer and played well he would most likely be goin to the euros and we never would of heard of cox. he didn't. he may or may not be good enough, either way he still hasn't proved it yet. there are several players ahead of him now who have proved themselves good enough. he might be waiting a while
NEIL Lennon says he would be happy to plead Anthony Stokes’ case with the Republic of Ireland football authorities if he thought it would enhance his striker’s transfer value, sorry, chances of being selected for his country.
Why would he want to enhance his value now though?
Given no-one's likely to sign him for at least 6 months...
Fair points made by Geysir & CD btw.
Our only striking question-mark is over Cox, possibly Best instead, though injury against him.
Because the transfer window coincides with the Euros, and a few weeks after. Celtic were very happy to take several million for McGeady. They'd be happy to do the same with Stokes & Hooper I reckon. Anyway, the remark was somewhat tingue in cheek, but not entirely.
I like Stokes as a player as it happens, but in fairness I think Cox would score a similar amount at Celtic. Stokes has a bit of star quality about him, but a dodgy attitude.
I still recall being in awe of his ball striking in the warm up to one of our games at Croker (Slovakia? and maybe it was half-time). Our subs were being fed moving balls by Alan Kelly and taking shots at our sub keeper. Sokes buried every single one whereas the others were slicing and pulling and conjuring up all kinds of mis-hits.
Put like that, fair enough.
Except they'd never even get 2 million for Stokes, though Hooper would go for more (think S'ton offered c.£4 million) but currently Celtic don't need to sell.
Though of course, the financial implications of R*ngers meltdown could spread further...
Who to?
He's not been up to much previously in the EPL.
Surely no-one would spend £5 million...
Stokes' value dropped 100k after missing that sitter last night.
There are rumours about Hooper being in the shop window now for some Russian team.
Is Lennon under pressure to sell players seeing as the finances are okay? Maybe he just has a strong desire to recall Daryl Murphy.
So why would they sign Stokes then?!!! Even if there were in the chmpionship. He has a fair few games as an attacking wide player / striker at both championship level and EPL and failed to impress consistently.Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Maybe SPL is his level - the idea of somebody paying 5 mill for him is laughable in the current market.
Please to any higher power helping that happen.
No chance, sadly and no point. Celtic would bite the hand for anything £2 million plus.
But even that's fanciful.
I reckon Lennon is doing a good job here in showing faith in his players. Confidence is everything in football and tbh Lennon is not going to lose sleep if Trap fails to pick him.
Last edited by gastric; 24/02/2012 at 3:06 AM.
Are you saying that because he didn't perform as well as he could when he was at (and on loan from) Sunderland when he was 19 and 20 that teams won't want to sign him? That is laughable. I think both his managers (Lennon and Hughes) have stated Stokes personal and footballing development since that spell at Sunderland has impressed them.
Nikica Jelavic had only one good goalscoring season prior to his move to Rangers. By your logic, Everton should have taken into account his mediocrity prior to that, at an even lower than Premiership level.
I think Stokes looks sharp and is worth a punt for any championship team, especially at the £2m mark anyway. He has the attributes for Premiership level so hopefully he'll step up. He won't be 24 till the summer.
I think you will find that he was used as a wide player in EPL / Championship. It was only when he joined the SPL that he was played in his natural position and the goals started to flow
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