Anthony Stokes (F free agent b.1988)

**cheifo** · 21/09/2006, 12:39 PM

My bold prediction, he will play for Ireland within three, possibly two years.I
think Youngirish's point is that Barrett,Doherty etc also played for us so that does not mean much.However dont forget that a lot of Scottish Premier players turn out for their national side and do a decent job.This is a good move for Stokes and it will be interesting to see who goes further him or Dixon.

**Stuttgart88** · 21/09/2006, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Of course the SPL is a poor league but it's a league that is relatively easy to spot a good player that will make it at a higher level (I find that anyway).

Complete tangent: would Kris Boyd get in the Irish team?

**drinkfeckarse** · 21/09/2006, 12:55 PM

A born goalscorer, he'd get in my team.

**youngirish** · 21/09/2006, 2:02 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Complete tangent: would Kris Boyd get in the Irish team?

Instead of Doyle or Keane? Not a chance. I'd probably even have Elliot before him if Elliot can get back to full fitness.

**drinkfeckarse** · 21/09/2006, 2:09 PM

Keane is automatic but anyone with Boyds goalscoring record cannot be dismissed (28 goals in 26 games for Rangers). You saying otherwise only proves your tainted view because you think the league is "sh!te".

**youngirish** · 21/09/2006, 2:26 PM

Originally Posted by drinkfeckarse

Keane is automatic but anyone with Boyds goalscoring record cannot be dismissed (28 goals in 26 games for Rangers). You saying otherwise only proves your tainted view because you think the league is "sh!te".

Exactly it is pure sh*te which is why I wouldn't have him in the team. He wouldn't score a quarter of those amount of goals in the same number of games in the Premiership.

**drinkfeckarse** · 21/09/2006, 2:36 PM

oh and he's got something like 4 international goals in 4 or 5 games (I could be exact and check it but it wouldn't make a difference to your opinion).

**youngirish** · 21/09/2006, 2:48 PM

Originally Posted by drinkfeckarse

oh and he's got something like 4 international goals in 4 or 5 games (I could be exact and check it but it wouldn't make a difference to your opinion).

I just don't rate him man. If you do then that's cool. His International goals have been scored in 2 matches against the Faroes and in a 5-1 friendly win over Bulgaria so I wouldn't read too much into that.

If he bangs in a few goals against France and Italy over the course of the qualifiers then I'll give him some credit.

**Stuttgart88** · 21/09/2006, 2:50 PM

I'll sit on the fence as I haven't actually seen anything much of Boyd, and nothing of his international appearnces, but I have been impressed by his goal haul. You can't ignore a 30 goal a season man, even in Scotland. He's a tall, strong lad too, which is something we could do with. Put it this way, he's probably more proven than McGeady up there. More consistent anyway. McGeady's very close to our first XI.

Would Alan Lee, Daryl Murphy* or Jason Byrne do as well up there? I doubt it. Would Robbie & Doyle? I'd say, yes. Maybe not as many goals but you're not comparing like with like.

Boyd was prolific at Kilmarnock, not just Rangers, and his scoring record is miles better than players like Bellamy & Camara in Scotland, no?

I think it's fair to say if he was Irish we'd definitely want to see him tried. With the benefit of having seen him a few times we'd have an idea of whether he's any good.

* Daryl Murphy seems to be playing well. It's a pity he's injured. With Elliott out I think he'd have made the October squads. With both out, I'd expect Connolly to make it if he's fit again.

**NeilMcD** · 21/09/2006, 2:55 PM

Boyd is a bit slow but he is a natural goalscorer. I think Doyle is a more classier player but so it would be a 50/50 call between Doyle and Boyd. Boyd is not first choice exactly for Scotland as Scotland have lots of options with Miller, Mc Fadden, Boyd, Maloney, O Connor, Beattie and Riordan.

**drinkfeckarse** · 21/09/2006, 3:39 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Boyd is a bit slow but he is a natural goalscorer. I think Doyle is a more classier player but so it would be a 50/50 call between Doyle and Boyd. Boyd is not first choice exactly for Scotland as Scotland have lots of options with Miller, Mc Fadden, Boyd, Maloney, O Connor, Beattie and Riordan.

Agree with all that. Boyd has been likened with Ally McCoist because he gets critised for other aspects of his game but simply puts the ball in the net. I'm not saying he's the next Ian Rush and he definately needs to work on his hold up play but he is as they say "a natural finisher" from what I've seen.

Whether he would make an impact in a better side is debatable because the modern game almost demands that you have an all round game. He is young though and I would be inclined to think that even better things lie ahead for him.

**eirebhoy** · 21/09/2006, 5:18 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

Exactly it is pure sh*te which is why I wouldn't have him in the team. He wouldn't score a quarter of those amount of goals in the same number of games in the Premiership.

I've already argued this point with you. In case you missed it... Hartson, Larsson, Viduka, Negri, Cadete, Boyd and Van Hooijdonk are the only players to have scored 20 goals or more in the last decade in the SPL. Everyone of those, bar Boyd, have proven themselves at a higher level (England, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Holland). Most of them have scored 20 odd goals those better leagues. I don't see any reason why Boyd wouldn't.

All Boyd knows how to do is score. Considering our goalscoring problems atm I think he'd walk into our team tbh and is probably exactly what we need. Have you even seen much of Boyd. You're writing Boyd off because he plays in the SPL and you were writing Stokes' career off as soon as he joined Falkirk.

You're biased against the SPL, it's as simple as that. It's not a great league, we know that but it doesn't mean every player that plays in it are crap.

His International goals have been scored in 2 matches against the Faroes and in a 5-1 friendly win over Bulgaria so I wouldn't read too much into that.

They were his only 2 starts for Scotland and he scored 2 goals in both games.

**youngirish** · 22/09/2006, 9:28 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I've already argued this point with you. In case you missed it... Hartson, Larsson, Viduka, Negri, Cadete, Boyd and Van Hooijdonk are the only players to have scored 20 goals or more in the last decade in the SPL. Everyone of those, bar Boyd, have proven themselves at a higher level (England, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Holland). Most of them have scored 20 odd goals those better leagues. I don't see any reason why Boyd wouldn't.

Your argument for the most part doesn't represent the important facts. I didn't miss it. I chose to ignore it because the important facts you tend to leave out are on leaving Scotland only Viduka, Larsson and Van Hoojidonk maintained any sort of decent form and Van Hooijdonk was playing in the Championship for Forest. Anyway the Premiership and the Scottish league have drifted even further apart since many of the players you mentioned have left.

Hartson who you mention can't even bang in a goal in the Championship though he scored for fun last season for Celtic. Sutton was crap for Birmingham last year. Mc Coist couldn't score to save his life when he left Scotland.

Anyway all the above players built their reputations in decent leagues playing at a decent level before moving to Scotland. They were proven players. Boyd isn't. He is average at best. To compare him to Larsson or even Viduka is silly. To say you'd have him in the Ireland team ahead of Doyle (one of the best young prospects in the Premiership) or Keane shows you don't have a clue. And I'm not biased against the Scottish league I'm realistic. It's crap. Look at the results in Europe that their teams achieve and stop this everyone and everything is great nonsense and have a real opinion.

Scoring goals against St Mirren, Inverness, Motherwell etc week in week out is far easier than scoring against Chelsea/Barcelona/Milan etc. Boyd doesn't look good enough to cut it at the moment against better opposition IMO. He's a very limited player. The standing in the box kicking the ball in from 6 yards striker doesn't cut it in the decent leagues anymore. You have to have more going for you. Physically he also looks to be very slight another reason why I believe he'd struggle against decent opposition.

**joema** · 22/09/2006, 10:33 AM

I thought this thread was about Stokes?? Could we just leave the SPL standard debate and how good/ bad Kris Boyd is out of it

IMO ther is too much expected of Stokes, Im sure he will be a great player for us but give him time!

**Bungle** · 22/09/2006, 3:09 PM

Stokes is a top class recently turned 18 year old....that doesn't mean for one moment that he will make it but he has a great chance.Six or seven years ago,Graham Barrett was in the same situation,but through career threatening injuries fell away and is I think at Falkirk,where Anthony is.

I have seen Stokes play on a number of occasions and I can assure you that he is an outstanding talent,and of all the young Arsenal players in the youth team,is most like a Wenger type player.The Scottish Premier league may not be the best league in the world,but it does offer challenges for Anthony,in a way in which Millwall reserves doesn't.For christ sake,Liam Brady raves about this lad,and Brady isn't one to be patriotic.

I think Anthony has a very good chance to make it at Arsenal,but even if he doesn't I guarentee that he will be a very good Irish international,barring injuries.