Anthony Stokes (F free agent b.1988)

**SilkCut** · 27/12/2009, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

I just think writing off any player at the age of 20 or 21 is ridiculous. Fair enough things didnt work out for him at Sunderland but maybe he has learned from that and sorted his attitude out. Not every player is like Rooney or Fabregas and is a world superstar in their teens

Agreed, anyone writing Stokes off at this stage of his career is an idiot. He is 20 and clearly has bucket loads of talent. It seems to have been a case of too much too young for him at Sunderland. Who amongst us would not have gone a bit nuts at 18 if we were suddenly making 20 grand a week?? Rooney and Fabregas had great managers looking after them, Stokes had Keane, a rookie with poor man management skills.

**4tothefloor** · 29/12/2009, 1:04 AM

Stokes is the best we have behind Doyle, Keane and Folan. Himself and Leon Best have the potential to be our permanent back up strikers (Folan hasn't much going for him apart from his height). At the moment he's certainly ahead of Hunt, Long, Sheridan and Mooney. He'll probably be free scoring in the SPL again, hopefully for a few seasons. All he can do after that is either sign for Celtic or move back to England, but he certainly cannot be written off yet! Just look at the likes of Kinsella, Andrews and Whelan who've all only prospered in the mid to late twenties.......

**ifk101** · 29/12/2009, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by 4tothefloor

Stokes is the best we have behind Doyle, Keane and Folan. Himself and Leon Best have the potential to be our permanent back up strikers (Folan hasn't much going for him apart from his height). At the moment he's certainly ahead of Hunt, Long, Sheridan and Mooney. He'll probably be free scoring in the SPL again, hopefully for a few seasons. All he can do after that is either sign for Celtic or move back to England, but he certainly cannot be written off yet! Just look at the likes of Kinsella, Andrews and Whelan who've all only prospered in the mid to late twenties.......

I'd drop Folan in favour of Clinton Morrison who can do everything Folan does and can pitch in with a few goals here and there to boot. Long has gone backwards big-time this season and I don't think he merits inclusion in the senior squad at this point in time. Noel Hunt, Sheridan and Mooney are not good enough for international football.

Stokes is arguably the best finisher available to us but seems to need a free role to get the best out of him. We can't really afford to give him such luxury at international level but he's good enough to merit inclusion in the squad. Keane, Doyle, Morrison, Stokes and Best are the best striking options currently available to us IMO.

**amaccann** · 29/12/2009, 1:26 PM

I suspect Stokes is one of those players who could really take off with the right manager behind him. If I recall correctly, Richard Dunne was a bit of a messer before Keegan (wasn't it?) knocked some sense into him & he blossomed into the legend he is now. I think the same is very possible with Stokes. A good manager could root out his messing. As for Ireland, he has a LOT more potential & more to offer than journeymen chancers like Folan.

Every time I see Folan come on the pitch I view it as a surrender of any positive tactics we were previously adopting. "Quick" it seems to say, "put on the physical, tall donkey, he might bounce a root-one goal off his thigh". At least Stokes offers a bit more nous

**noddy102** · 29/12/2009, 2:13 PM

Let's not forget he's playing well and performing in an awful, AWFUL league, and unless he changes his attitude for good, he'll never make it on the big stage.

**yapster** · 29/12/2009, 4:17 PM

Stokes remains a good prospect

**twoenz** · 29/12/2009, 4:32 PM

I think that he's going to go on and be a very solid striker. When he burst through he was being lauded, and he struck me as someone who believed his own hype. He's had 18 months of having to fight to get back to the level that he was coasting at a while ago, and I'd say he's not particularly happy about it, so if he can take his current attitude and transfer it onto a bigger stage then he'll be an excellent option.

Although can I just temper this by pointing out that he's playing in the SPL. I've always known that it's a terrible league, but this really puts it into perspective:

The cover of their current sticker collection is this:

Featuring star players from Celtic, Hearts, Rangers and Dundee United. Look at the Dundee one and you'll see that it's Danny Cadamateri, who was the next big thing in the Premier League at the same time as Michael Owen broke through, and fell the whole way down the league pyramid before being snapped up by the Arabs.

**elroy** · 29/12/2009, 7:08 PM

Originally Posted by noddy102

Let's not forget he's playing well and performing in an awful, AWFUL league, and unless he changes his attitude for good, he'll never make it on the big stage.

Agree, imo the SPL is not far ahead the LOI these days, Celtic and Rangers are nowhere near as strong as they were a few years back, look at their european results now!!

I think its a very much wait and see approach with Stokes, I thought he was in a fast downward spiraling joining the ranks of the likes of Sean Thornton but maybe not. Although he didnt do much in his recent spell at Sheff United.....would like to see him continue to do well in Scotland but then move up a gear to a top Championship club.

**Wangball** · 29/12/2009, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by amaccann

I suspect Stokes is one of those players who could really take off with the right manager behind him. If I recall correctly, Richard Dunne was a bit of a messer before Keegan (wasn't it?) knocked some sense into him & he blossomed into the legend he is now. I think the same is very possible with Stokes. A good manager could root out his messing. As for Ireland, he has a LOT more potential & more to offer than journeymen chancers like Folan.

I reckon you've hit the nail on the head there, John Hughes is a very good manager at SPL level and having read interviews with him its obvious that he rates Stokes really highly and you get the impression that the feeling is mutual. I think its only a matter of time before Hughes gets offered a higher profile position (be it in England or Scotland) and I'd be willing to bet that Stokes would be a player he'd take with him

**Manblue** · 30/12/2009, 1:45 PM

Originally Posted by SilkCut

Agreed, anyone writing Stokes off at this stage of his career is an idiot. He is 20 and clearly has bucket loads of talent. It seems to have been a case of too much too young for him at Sunderland. Who amongst us would not have gone a bit nuts at 18 if we were suddenly making 20 grand a week?? Rooney and Fabregas had great managers looking after them, Stokes had Keane, a rookie with poor man management skills.

No stokes had wenger...who is without doubt the best at developing young talent and always gives youth a chance....he very rarely makes a mistake with young players and somehow I seriously doubt hell regard leaving stokes go to keane a mistake

**Acornvilla** · 30/12/2009, 1:58 PM

stokes only ever playyed on the wing for arsenals youths and reserves.
wnger never actally gave him a chance. most or the managers stokes has played under have stuck him out on the wing hughes is the only one to play him as a striker and give him a run in the position. wsenger is not alwaysd right and roy keane definitley isnt

**endabob1** · 30/12/2009, 2:04 PM

Originally Posted by Manblue

No stokes had wenger...who is without doubt the best at developing young talent and always gives youth a chance....he very rarely makes a mistake with young players and somehow I seriously doubt hell regard leaving stokes go to keane a mistake

There's plenty of players who have left Arsenal because of not getting a chance who have gone on to make a good living in the game, not become superstars but
Bentley
Sidwell
Pennant
off the top of my head have played regularly in the top flight despite being let go by Wenger.

The lad is very young, plenty of time for him to come good and he's better off at Hibs & out of the spotlight for a couple of years imho. If he's good enough in the SPL either a newly promoted side in the EPL or Celtic will take a gamble on him.

**geysir** · 30/12/2009, 2:11 PM

Wenger claims that he can make his decision on a players ability at the age of 18 or 19 and I suppose he is going by the high expectations of that level demanded by the club.
Stokes is in some sort of professional football purgatory now but doing very well there under a good manager for him.
You have to trust that Wenger would have had enough grounds to regard Stokes as high risk for reaching the Arsenal level.

**SilkCut** · 30/12/2009, 9:36 PM

Originally Posted by Manblue

No stokes had wenger...who is without doubt the best at developing young talent and always gives youth a chance....he very rarely makes a mistake with young players and somehow I seriously doubt hell regard leaving stokes go to keane a mistake

Fair point, however he was only really involved with the youth sides at Arsenal so was probably more involved with Brady than Wenger. My point was when he started to make big money and gain premiership experiance he only had Keane. He appears to work very well with Hughes who had him at Falkirk when he made his breakthrough. I am sure Wenger was happy to let him go as he more than likely will not reach the level required at Arsenal. That is not to say he won't make it though, he has the ability he just needs the right attitude. Hughes seems to be able to get the best from him.

**noddy102** · 01/01/2010, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by endabob1

There's plenty of players who have left Arsenal because of not getting a chance who have gone on to make a good living in the game, not become superstars but
Bentley
Sidwell
Pennant
off the top of my head have played regularly in the top flight despite being let go by Wenger.

The lad is very young, plenty of time for him to come good and he's better off at Hibs & out of the spotlight for a couple of years imho. If he's good enough in the SPL either a newly promoted side in the EPL or Celtic will take a gamble on him.

All those players you list, including Stokes have something in common; an absolutely shocking attitude towards the professional game, which is why they are no better than good Premiership players.

**Razors left peg** · 01/01/2010, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by noddy102

All those players you list, including Stokes have something in common; an absolutely shocking attitude towards the professional game, which is why they are no better than good Premiership players.

Bit harsh on Sidwell, he seems a decent pro just didnt have the talent to make it at Arsenal

**tetsujin1979** · 03/01/2010, 3:53 PM

scored the equaliser in the Edinburgh derby.
he's in some form, that's 6 goals in 5 games

**Acornvilla** · 03/01/2010, 9:07 PM

yo know that people use the argument thathe is playing in a bad team as one argument as to why he wont make it as a player? i dont understand that argument because if hibs are as bad a team (they are not as bad as some people seem to feel) as people say they are than should he not be applauded because scoring for a ''bad'' team is surley much harder than it is scoring for a good team? just an observation

**SkStu** · 03/01/2010, 9:10 PM

just watched the game and he was generally excellent. Im glad he's got rid of the blond highlights too. Maybe he is growing up.

He always has given me hope that we have a successor to Robbie Keane, he's got the talent. There was one pass to Riordan near the end with the outside of his left that was simply sublime. Goal was decent too.