Anthony Stokes (F free agent b.1988)

[tetsujin1979]

Linked with Hull, Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan according to today's gossip on football365

[Olé Olé]

Linked with Hull, Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan according to today's gossip on football365

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31417526.html

Link to the Indo but that cropped up on the Daily Mail also so maybe they took it from there.

I'd be worried about him dropping to League One. One season riddled with injury or poor form or a touch of ill-discipline and he might find it hard to move higher. Championship would be safer.

Has performed decent in the past in the Champions League. Might garner some European interest? Not sure if he's the type to go continental but he could surprise us.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Well Deila's comments are in the public arena. He didn't definitively say that he wants him out of the club. He said he hopes he gets a reaction from him and he works harder to get back in the team. May be premature to say he's definitely on his way out, but it would be the ideal scenario for all concerned if he did leave. He has done all he can do at Celtic and he's at an age where he needs to try something new. Someone said he could go abroad. Players like Garry O'Connor, Adam Rooney, Kris Boyd and Jon Daly have all attracted interest from decent clubs on the continent, so I'm sure Stokes could get a move to a good team on the continent; but I don't think he has the temperament to do that - so Great Britain it is. Then the problem is who would take him? He has a phenomenal goalscoring record in Scotland, but he flattered to deceive in England - granted youth and playing out of position.

One thing I don't get is - if you want to move a player on and attract interest from other teams, why would you criticize the way that player performs in training? It seems counterproductive.

I'm also skeptical how Celtic would fare in his absence. They don't really have a top forward in the Hooper mould anymore, and they don't have a great track record with the strikers they bring in - Pukki, Bangura. Could come back to haunt them.

[kennedmc]

. Then the problem is who would take him? He has a phenomenal goalscoring record in Scotland, but he flattered to deceive in England - granted youth and playing out of position.

.

Agree with a lot of your points but according to wiki he has 76 goals in 191 games for Celtic - not sure that is phenomenal!! Decentish...for Scotland

[samhaydenjr]

Well Deila's comments are in the public arena. He didn't definitively say that he wants him out of the club. He said he hopes he gets a reaction from him and he works harder to get back in the team. May be premature to say he's definitely on his way out, but it would be the ideal scenario for all concerned if he did leave. He has done all he can do at Celtic and he's at an age where he needs to try something new. Someone said he could go abroad. Players like Garry O'Connor, Adam Rooney, Kris Boyd and Jon Daly have all attracted interest from decent clubs on the continent, so I'm sure Stokes could get a move to a good team on the continent; but I don't think he has the temperament to do that - so Great Britain it is. Then the problem is who would take him? He has a phenomenal goalscoring record in Scotland, but he flattered to deceive in England - granted youth and playing out of position.

One thing I don't get is - if you want to move a player on and attract interest from other teams, why would you criticize the way that player performs in training? It seems counterproductive.

I'm also skeptical how Celtic would fare in his absence. They don't really have a top forward in the Hooper mould anymore, and they don't have a great track record with the strikers they bring in - Pukki, Bangura. Could come back to haunt them.

Given the trouble his temperament has got him into in Great Britain, a move to the continent might be ideal, putting some distance between him and whatever political/social issues lead to his temperament interfering in his advancement. Unfortunately, like you said, it's this same temperament that's probably the biggest barrier to him going.

[seanfhear]

He might be able to form what some would think a potent offensive partnership with James McClean at West Brom.

I think it was Liam Brady that said it (I paraphrase) He lacks that yard of pace to be a top class player.

There have been a few that with clever positional play and absolute maximum use of their talents have managed to over come a lack of pace e.g. Teddy Sheringham. An excellent player but certainly knew how to position his body and better in the air than given credit for.

[Stuttgart88]

Stokes and McClean could definitively form a very offensive partnership in England!

[geysir]

Though it wouldn't be long before the split set in and Stokes would become the provisional striker.

[backstothewall]

He seems the sort who would do very well indeed in MLS.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Deila refutes suggestion that he advised Stokes to leave.

http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...ys-ronny-deila

[OwlsFan]

Agree with a lot of your points but according to wiki he has 76 goals in 191 games for Celtic - not sure that is phenomenal!! Decentish...for Scotland

I agree. Look at Stevie May for instance:

2009–2014 St. Johnstone 62 (23)
2011–2012 → Alloa Athletic (loan) 22 (19)
2012–2013 → Hamilton Academical (loan) 33 (25)
2014– Sheffield Wednesday 39 (7)

Can score for fun in Scotland but struggled in the Championship.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Phenomenal may have been overcooking it, but Stokes scored 36 goals in 56 games for Falkirk & Hibernian in the SPL when he was barely out of his teens; that's a good achievement when you are not playing for the big 2. He has 58 in 134 league games for Celtic, so if you subtract the time he spent on the wing this season he probably averages one in two games there.

In comparison, Stevie May's seasons at Alloa & Hamilton were in lower divisions.

I'm skeptical that Stokes would replicate his goalscoring form in England, but it's certainly possible. He was very young, immature and playing out of position last he played in Britain. I think he has improved slightly as a player and has matured (a little) on and off the pitch.

It's embarrassing that players like Scepovic, Griffiths and Ciftci are judged to be better than him - but it's been clear that Deila hasn't taken to him from day one.

[GypsyBlackCat]

Linked with a move to Panathinakos according to the Daily Mail.

[OwlsFan]

Now trying to undermine his manager. Either he or the manager will be gone by January. I suspect the former.

[Fixer82]

Linked with a move to Panathinakos according to the Daily Mail.

Is that cos they have a shamrock in their crest?
Good ol' Daily Mail!

[seanfhear]

Anthony gets much more coverage for his off field behaviour than his on field play. Which is not good for a footballer.

[DeLorean]

Suspended by the club for two weeks.

Did Kris Commons get suspended that time he threw the tantrum? I suppose it's counter productive to suspend a player you actually use!

[jbyrne]

Suspended by the club for two weeks.

Did Kris Commons get suspended that time he threw the tantrum? I suppose it's counter productive to suspend a player you actually use!

I think commons apologised almost immediately. Throwing a strop for getting substituted can be put down to heat of the moment stuff but tweeting as stokes did is pure stupid really

[Stuttgart88]

I'd hazard a guess that the tweet itself wasn't the problem. Just a guess, but his general attitude might have been bad too, which seems to be a trait.

[DeLorean]

I think commons apologised almost immediately. Throwing a strop for getting substituted can be put down to heat of the moment stuff but tweeting as stokes did is pure stupid really

Yeah I wasn't defending Stokes, just think the two week suspension is a pointless punishment for a guy who isn't being selected anyway.