Anthony Stokes

**geysir** · 20/01/2016, 7:15 PM

Stokes was culled by Wenger because in all probability he saw that he would not make the grade, despite doing well on loan at Falkirk and if truth be told he hasn't done anything of note outside the SPL. The SPL is the only place where he has consistently thrived. So far his peak was his partnership with Hooper at Celtic where they traded goals willy nilly, that was the fruit of Stokes working hard and being disciplined, as good as it got for a player with Stokes' talents.
However, Hooper was deemed the senior partner who got the relatively big money move to EPL Norwich and has singularly failed to make an impact there even in the championship. Is anybody claiming he's a lazy git who wasted his talent?
Stokes is a very decent striker by SPl standards and evidently has a good technique on the ball but he's not much more than a good epl striker.

**DeLorean** · 20/01/2016, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

Is anybody claiming he's a lazy git who wasted his talent?
Stokes is a very decent striker by SPl standards and evidently has a good technique on the ball but he's not much more than a good epl striker.

The problem, for me, is that Ken seems to be saying that he's not surprised Stoke's has 'ended up' playing in the second tier of Scottish football at the age of 27. I think he's more than done enough to prove he's miles better than that level. It's certainly a waste of talent that he's in this situation. Whether he's English PL quality is highly debatable even if he had apply himself to the maximum. He's actually the ninth highest goalscorer in SPL history (SPL as opposed to top tier but still...).

**geysir** · 20/01/2016, 11:06 PM

Is anybody claiming he's a lazy git who wasted his talent? refers to Hooper's life in the english championship.

I don't know if we can read that much into Stokes choosing Hibs (over ICT) for the next few months, perhaps it's Alan Stubs/was offered a good deal/won't have to leave home. Perhaps his long term is to prove himself to Celtic or just be with Hibs after they win promotion to the spl or find another club after he has re-established his cred as a decent striker. Hibs are a big club by Scot standards and still get crowds of 11k for championship games.

**DeLorean** · 21/01/2016, 8:52 AM

Sorry, picked you up wrong about the wasted talent bit. I suppose there's no external factors to throw at Hooper, that I know of anyway. I would have expected him to do better at Norwich but Cameron Jerome tends to bang them in at that level. He seems to be doing okay at Sheffield Wednesday now at least. I presume he saw the move from Celtic to the English Championship as a progression, he hadn't lost his place at Celtic or fallen out with anybody as far as I'm aware. Sometimes these things work out, sometimes they don't.

I don't really think it's comparable to Stokes' situation where he lost his place completely at Celtic and proceeded to ensure it stayed lost, with his twitter outburst. He's been moved on because he's not wanted there, that seems clear enough even if Deila and co. are diplomatic in public. I agree completely about not reading too much into the fact that he chose Hibs over Inverness and Dundee United, but the latter two would have indicated a plummeting career trajectory anyway. I think the very least he should be doing at this stage of his career is playing regularly for Celtic, even if that's coming off the bench where he can try to impress his manager and give him something to think about.

**Fixer82** · 21/01/2016, 1:29 PM

I think Stokes could be a decent Championship striker but can't ever really see him cutting it as a first 11 player in the EPL, week in week out

**kennedmc** · 21/01/2016, 6:23 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

I think the very least he should be doing at this stage of his career is playing regularly for Celtic, even if that's coming off the bench where he can try to impress his manager and give him something to think about.

yeah agree on above.

**tetsujin1979** · 22/01/2016, 9:54 AM

Targetting a call up for Euro 2016: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/35378833
Best of luck.

**DeLorean** · 22/01/2016, 10:17 AM

From what I've read (there & elsewhere) I think it's a misleading headline. He has said that he sees no reason that he can't get his Irish place back but I haven't read anything about it being in time for the Euros. Maybe that was the direct question though.

More importantly, that hair transplant is the most impressive one I've seen yet. Wayne Rooney should go see his guy.

**SkStu** · 23/01/2016, 10:13 PM

Lazy b@stard waited till the 90th minute to score on his (re)debut...

**DeLorean** · 23/01/2016, 11:41 PM

Or a whole 19 minutes after coming on as sub

**SkStu** · 24/01/2016, 5:31 AM

After his daily 3:00 nap...

**DeLorean** · 24/01/2016, 10:16 AM

Goal here

**geysir** · 24/01/2016, 5:40 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

...........
I don't really think it's comparable to Stokes' situation where he lost his place completely at Celtic and proceeded to ensure it stayed lost, with his twitter outburst. He's been moved on because he's not wanted there, that seems clear enough even if Deila and co. are diplomatic in public. I agree completely about not reading too much into the fact that he chose Hibs over Inverness and Dundee United, but the latter two would have indicated a plummeting career trajectory anyway. I think the very least he should be doing at this stage of his career is playing regularly for Celtic, even if that's coming off the bench where he can try to impress his manager and give him something to think about.

A tweet is a reflection of a moment in time. it just happens to be a recorded moment in time, nevertheless it is evidence of idiocy in society where a tweet is elevated to anything more than a random expression. Stokes expressing frustration at not being selected, imo, doesn't qualify as an outburst. We don't know what happened at Celtic to relegate Stokes to obscurity, but we know it was not just the tweet, Delia apparently has a list of indiscretions.
Lennon was able to manage Stokes, it's not as if Stokes is a delinquent or has suddenly turned into one, he's the same as he ever was. Delia just happens to be the worst manager Celtic have had in my living memory and that includes every manager going back to Stein. I seriously doubt that Stokes has changed into some different animal, other than what existed when Celtic were a functioning team under Lennon and he was banging in goals.
If Stokes functions to his standards at Hibs, it's proof enough for me that he was good enough to play for Celtic now, instead of the mediocrity that current play there. Time will tell.

**Charlie Darwin** · 24/01/2016, 5:43 PM

Deila would have some competition from John Barnes and Liam Brady I'd say. Although, granted, neither of those had a league with no other competitors in it.

**geysir** · 24/01/2016, 11:22 PM

I like Liam, always have and John Barnes reminds me of Lenny Henry, so that leaves Ronny Deila alone at the bottom of the barrel.

**OwlsFan** · 25/01/2016, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Peadar

I would put my house on Stokes not making a breakthrough at Arsenal. He may get a few games in the Carling Cup but there's too much competition at Arsenal. He'll end up at Norwich or somewhere.
Sad but likely.

Interesting going back and reading the first few pages of the Stokes thread in 2005 and all the superlatives, particularly from Eirebhoy (RIP), but there was no fooling Peadar!

**DeLorean** · 31/01/2016, 9:58 PM

I assume Stokes is cup tied for the League Cup final? He was an unused sub in Celtic's win over Raith Rovers in Round 3.

**geysir** · 31/01/2016, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

I assume Stokes is cup tied for the League Cup final? He was an unused sub in Celtic's win over Raith Rovers in Round 3.

According to english cup law he wouldn't be cup tied. I don't know about Scottish, I doubt if it's much different. As with most situations, a sub has to be a used sub before he is regarded as having being involved in a game (remember Shane Long?). Stokes will make it to Hampden for a cup final before Ronny.