Anthony Stokes

themarkmeister

How come Anthony Stokes is not playing for Ireland? Hes playing champions league football and is a goalscorer???

Dr. Bre

hes the only irishman playing champs league!

HighClass

Dr. Bre wrote: »

hes the only irishman playing champs league!

No he's not?

Dr. Bre

oh ye some lad from city whos 3rd choice keeper and will not play

themarkmeister

HighClass wrote: »

No he's not?

What other irish man is getting game time in champions league football?

Dempsey

He maybe playing UCL but this performance wont even have Neil Lennon impressed

Lennonist

Dempsey wrote: »

He maybe playing UCL but this performance wont even have Neil Lennon impressed

Pukki better be good.

Lennonist

Stokes has talent. So far in his career he looks like he needs someone to play up front with him, which doesn't always suit for Celtic in an away CL game or potentially Ireland against strong teams. He should be in the Ireland squad no doubt, but won't be a first choice pick for Ireland or Celtic unless he can improve his skills.

ctrl-alt-delete

I was of the opinion he fell out with Trapattoni after pulling out of a squad, and so maybe he will be considered under the new regime.

MD1990

he's busy with the IRA at the moment

fullstop

themarkmeister wrote: »

How come Anthony Stokes is not playing for Ireland? Hes playing champions league football and is a goalscorer???

1. He's slow and not particularly good.

2. He pulled out of the Carling Nations Cup squad because he was "tired". So **** him IMO, obviously not too committed.

jamaamaj

themarkmeister wrote: »

How come Anthony Stokes is not playing for Ireland? Hes playing champions league football and is a goalscorer???

Stokes should be a cert to be picked now for Ireland.,
And maybe he will be even earmarked to replace Keane in the team - when the great man retires.
(I retract this statement if trappatoni is re-appointed :pac:)

Dempsey

Whilst the tired excuse shouldnt have been given, there was no accomodation in the change in calender for the SPL season.

Even now, from the time Celtic finish their season, they are back in preseason ~4 weeks later, playing competitive games 2 weeks on. Not many other players can claim that demand at club level.

He's not proven himself consistently to be good enough internationally, its up to him to raise his performance and I dont think he can.

Lennonist

MD1990 wrote: »

he's busy with the IRA at the moment

He needs to concentrate on his career and has been doing that lately to be fair to him. We'll see in time if he can make the step up.

Lennonist

Dempsey wrote: »

Whilst the tired excuse shouldnt have been given, there was no accomodation in the change in calender for the SPL season.

Even now, from the time Celtic finish their season, they are back in preseason ~4 weeks later, playing competitive games 2 weeks on. Not many other players can claim that demand at club level.

He's not proven himself consistently to be good enough internationally, its up to him to raise his performance and I dont think he can.

He mightn't have the overall ability necessary to do it at CL level. I think he wants to, and he'd be useful to Ireland and Celtic while he's trying to get there. He has some talent, his free kick was close tonight. If it went in it was game over.

Mr Whirly

MD1990 wrote: »

he's busy with the IRA at the moment

A players personal life should have no bearing on whether they play or not.

Do you think Ribery or Benzema should have been left out of French squads over the last couple of years?

MD1990

Lennonist wrote: »

He needs to concentrate on his career and has been doing that lately to be fair to him. We'll see in time if he can make the step up.

yeah
the IRA will need him to get into the firing line soon:p

.jacksparrow.

MD1990 wrote: »

yeah
the IRA will need him to get into the firing line soon:p

Can we leave the Ira out of a soccer conversation please.

I think he is at his level in the Scottish premier league, which isn't much.

Lennonist

MD1990 wrote: »

yeah
the IRA will need him to get into the firing line soon:p

He come from a particular familial/political background right enough. I'd safely say you don't know much about it. Look it up there.

Besides any of that, if he's good enough to play, he'll play.

Mr Whirly

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Can we leave the Ira out of a soccer conversation please.

I think he is at his level in the Scottish premier league, which isn't much.

Compared to the bench at west brom or derby county. Deserves a go I reckon.

.jacksparrow.

Mr Whirly wrote: »

Compared to the bench at west brom or derby county. Deserves a go I reckon.

Hmmm when you put it like that, maybe he does.

CSF

Mr Whirly wrote: »

Compared to the bench at west brom or derby county. Deserves a go I reckon.

He is better than Sammon no doubt, but Long or Keane no way. He should definitely be on the fringes of making the squad under the new manager, but I think he would have to do alot to become a starter or even a guaranteed squad member.

Dempsey

Long is shocking bad at the moment for what he's suppose to be good at. Stokes is a better finisher than any other Irish player bar Keane.

CSF

Dempsey wrote: »

Long is shocking bad at the moment for what he's suppose to be good at. Stokes is a better finisher than any other Irish player bar Keane.

Reverse the standard of defence that Long and Stokes have to play against every week and one would look better and one would look alot worse.

Long has the handicap (if we look at each player's output equally) of having to play against top quality players every week where his team are quite often not favourites and chances to shine may be at a premium. At a Championship or a top SPL side Long would be getting plaudits far beyond what he is now.

Stokes at Celtic is in the perfect situation to thrive because with Hooper gone he should be the number 1 focus of all attacks in a team that should have the vast majority of attacks in all league games they play in. Stokes will have to prove himself in the Champions League group stages this year IMO as when you look where Higdon and Griffiths are playing now, scoring lots of goals in the SPL isn't a great marker of quality.

RoryMac

fullstop wrote: »

1. He's slow and not particularly good.

2. He pulled out of the Carling Nations Cup squad because he was "tired". So **** him IMO, obviously not too committed.

He pulled out of the squad because he was carrying some knocks after a long season which left him less than 3 weeks off during the summer, Celtic told the FAI that he needed to rest and would be withdrawn, Trap came up with the tired stuff most likely due to his lack of understanding English

Dempsey

Stokes, got 20 goals a season consistently for 2 seasons with Hooper beside him before injury in the 3rd. I agree, there is a tradeoff but Long was a shocking finisher at championship level, even worse at EPL level. A workhorse forward where his athleticism is his only commodity. Stokes can finish better than most.

Higdon & Griffiths had one good season where the entire style of play is built around them, there is a huge difference when playing at a higher level than that. Stokes showed he was a higher level when he went from being a 20 goal a season Hibs striker to a 20 goal a season Celtic striker without the team geared towards him. He does have a few more gears in him, certainly more so than Long, Cox, Sammon, Doyle.

CSF

Dempsey wrote: »

Stokes, got 20 goals a season consistently for 2 seasons with Hooper beside him before injury in the 3rd. I agree, there is a tradeoff but Long was a shocking finisher at championship level, even worse at EPL level. A workhorse forward where his athleticism is his only commodity. Stokes can finish better than most.

Higdon & Griffiths had one good season where the entire style of play is built around them, there is a huge difference when playing at a higher level than that. Stokes showed he was a higher level when he went from being a 20 goal a season Hibs striker to a 20 goal a season Celtic striker without the team geared towards him. He does have a few more gears in him, certainly more so than Long, Cox, Sammon, Doyle.

Long's goal stats for the last 3 seasons, 23 in the Championship followed by 2 seasons of 8 in the Premiership aren't all that shabby when you consider that West Brom aren't a big hitter in the Premiership, or a team with a particularly attacking ethos that would lead to lots of goals or goal opportunities, add to that the presence of Lukaku last season (a striker who we couldn't even dream of having someone at the level of right now), things would most definitely have been difficult for him.

I don't think he has done badly at all at Premiership level and we don't have anyone else with that on their recent CV.

Smithwicks Man

Dr. Bre wrote: »

hes the only irishman playing champs league!

Aiden McGeady should feature for CSKA during the group stages

Dempsey

One season wonder like Higdon & Griffiths if you ask me. 23 in his last season for Reading when his overall record for Reading is 54 in 201 appearance suggests he's not a finisher. Just watching his style of play over his career suggests he'll never be a great finisher either. He's one reasonably bad joint injury away from being a Kevin Doyle in my book.

Of course he can do a job but his form is terrible and I wouldnt be pinning my hopes on him long term just because he's at a EPL club at the moment (a club that tried to flog him)

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

Aiden McGeady should feature for CSKA during the group stages

He plays for Spartak Moscow

witnessrenegade

What's the story with O'Brien from West Ham? He must be better than St Ledger! Hopefully with Trap gone we can see some more faces getting a look in

CSF

Dempsey wrote: »

One season wonder like Higdon & Griffiths if you ask me. 23 in his last season for Reading when his overall record for Reading is 54 in 201 appearance suggests he's not a finisher. Just watching his style of play over his career suggests he'll never be a great finisher either. He's one reasonably bad joint injury away from being a Kevin Doyle in my book.

Of course he can do a job but his form is terrible and I wouldnt be pinning my hopes on him long term just because he's at a EPL club at the moment (a club that tried to flog him)

Ruud Van Nistelrooy he ain't, but I'm honest to god not sure we have another striker who you could expect to bag 8 a season in the Premiership. If Stokes, or Sammon or Cox were to go and do that then I think we'd have to look at them for a starting spot.

As it stands those players have to do alot more at their respective levels to be looked at as being at the same level. Stokes in particular has no better opportunity to prove himself than the one he has right now. If he were to even get 3 goals in the group stages you would have people falling over themselves calling for him to get a spot.

MD1990

MD1990 wrote: »

he's busy with the IRA at the moment

Yep. He's trying to get the tans/Elvis out of the country

Mr Whirly

Mr Whirly wrote: »

A players personal life should have no bearing on whether they play or not.

Do you think Ribery or Benzema should have been left out of French squads over the last couple of years?

He only said it as a joke tbf. Probably not in good taste but i admit i lolled.

Still think that the new manager needs to cast the net far and wide to give us any hope. Only an idiot would limit our pick and thats what we had to endure the past 5 years.

CSF

Deleted User wrote: »

He only said it as a joke tbf. Probably not in good taste but i admit i lolled.

Still think that the new manager needs to cast the net far and wide to give us any hope. Only an idiot would limit our pick and thats what we had to endure the past 5 years.

How far and wide can the net be cast? Almost all our players play either here, England or Scotland.

Dempsey

CSF wrote: »

Ruud Van Nistelrooy he ain't, but I'm honest to god not sure we have another striker who you could expect to bag 8 a season in the Premiership. If Stokes, or Sammon or Cox were to go and do that then I think we'd have to look at them for a starting spot.

As it stands those players have to do alot more at their respective levels to be looked at as being at the same level. Stokes in particular has no better opportunity to prove himself than the one he has right now. If he were to even get 3 goals in the group stages you would have people falling over themselves calling for him to get a spot.

Conor Sammon got 15 goals 1 season for Kilmarnock and his career has been underpinned by that. He didnt transform by transferring to an English club! He's achieved nothing else in his career to deserve a call up. Its Traps ignorance and poor man management that earned Sammon his callup, nothing else.

Cox is just dreadful, he was getting a game for Ireland when he couldnt get into the WBA team! That says it all!

Stokes scored 2 goals in 5 appearances in the Europa League 3 seasons ago and nobody batted an eyelid, such is the attitude towards the SPL and Europa League in the British game. There was an awful attitude by the EPL media and clubs since the inception of the Europa League. Its the fact that other leagues are passing them out in so many aspects of the game besides wealth that those British clubs involved are finally trying.

He more than deserves the chance to prove himself for Ireland, I've been one of his harshest critics since his Falkirk days, certainly not the finished article but I believe he can do more in a game to unlock defenses that the other mentioned.

CSF

Dempsey wrote: »

Conor Sammon got 15 goals 1 season for Kilmarnock and his career has been underpinned by that. He didnt transform by transferring to an English club! He's achieved nothing else in his career to deserve a call up. Its Traps ignorance and poor man management that earned Sammon his callup, nothing else.

Cox is just dreadful, he was getting a game for Ireland when he couldnt get into the WBA team! That says it all!

Stokes scored 2 goals in 5 appearances in the Europa League 3 seasons ago and nobody batted an eyelid, such is the attitude towards the SPL and Europa League in the British game. There was an awful attitude by the EPL media and clubs since the inception of the Europa League. Its the fact that other leagues are passing them out in so many aspects of the game besides wealth that those British clubs involved are finally trying.

He more than deserves the chance to prove himself for Ireland, I've been one of his harshest critics since his Falkirk days, certainly not the finished article but I believe he can do more in a game to unlock defenses that the other mentioned.

Let me be clear, I don't rate Sammon or Cox, I don't think they deserved their place in the team when they got it, same as I don't think Stokes really deserves one now. Sure, I would have no problem with him getting a callup for a friendly and being given a chance to show what he has, but other than that I think he has more to prove before he is worthy of consideration.

Whatever new manager comes in should be looking at the fact that we are lacking in talented strikers, but doing quite well for attacking midfielders, and be looking at playing 3 behind that 1 up front, rather than 2 up front.

richierichballs

Dr. Bre wrote: »

oh ye some lad from city whos 3rd choice keeper and will not play

Some lad? Ian Lawlor is not just some lad. They are in talks at the moment with alot of high profile clubs to loan him out. Ian Lawlor is defiantly one to watch.

noodler

Dempsey wrote: »

Stokes, got 20 goals a season consistently for 2 seasons with Hooper beside him before injury in the 3rd. I agree, there is a tradeoff but Long was a shocking finisher at championship level, even worse at EPL level. A workhorse forward where his athleticism is his only commodity. Stokes can finish better than most.

Higdon & Griffiths had one good season where the entire style of play is built around them, there is a huge difference when playing at a higher level than that. Stokes showed he was a higher level when he went from being a 20 goal a season Hibs striker to a 20 goal a season Celtic striker without the team geared towards him. He does have a few more gears in him, certainly more so than Long, Cox, Sammon, Doyle.

CSF wrote: »

Long's goal stats for the last 3 seasons, 23 in the Championship followed by 2 seasons of 8 in the Premiership aren't all that shabby when you consider that West Brom aren't a big hitter in the Premiership, or a team with a particularly attacking ethos that would lead to lots of goals or goal opportunities, add to that the presence of Lukaku last season (a striker who we couldn't even dream of having someone at the level of right now), things would most definitely have been difficult for him.

I don't think he has done badly at all at Premiership level and we don't have anyone else with that on their recent CV.

Dempsey wrote: »

. He's one reasonably bad joint injury away from being a Kevin Doyle in my book.

You talk some ****e sometime Dempsey.

Stokes did feck all for large periods last night and, even allowing for the fact it was AC Milan, looked incredibly lazy.

All that being said, he should be given a chance in the squad imo.

stooge

Have to agree with Noodler, Stokes has enough talent to get in the Ireland squad but he is not in the same calibre as Long now or as Doyle was 2/3 years ago. He doesnt have much pace, is not a player who tirelessly works the backline and is no better at holding the ball up than Long/Doyle. He may have a little more natural skill but If I had my pick of the three for a match tomorrow I'd have Long -> Stokes -> Doyle on current form and ability.

Dempsey

noodler wrote: »

You talk some ****e sometime Dempsey.

Stokes did feck all for large periods last night and, even allowing for the fact it was AC Milan, looked incredibly lazy.

All that being said, he should be given a chance in the squad imo.

If you check the match thread you'll see that I was very critical of his performance last night.

Nalz

noodler wrote: »

You talk some ****e sometime Dempsey.

Stokes did feck all for large periods last night and, even allowing for the fact it was AC Milan, looked incredibly lazy.

All that being said, he should be given a chance in the squad imo.

harshy harsh harsh!

grenache

The manager must look at every player available, Stokes is no exception. On current form I'd have him and Shane Long up front. He has the ability, but doubts will continue to persist about his attitude until he commits himself fully to the Ireland cause.

Coillte_Bhoy

CSF wrote: »

Ruud Van Nistelrooy he ain't, but I'm honest to god not sure we have another striker who you could expect to bag 8 a season in the Premiership. If Stokes, or Sammon or Cox were to go and do that then I think we'd have to look at them for a starting spot.

As it stands those players have to do alot more at their respective levels to be looked at as being at the same level. Stokes in particular has no better opportunity to prove himself than the one he has right now. If he were to even get 3 goals in the group stages you would have people falling over themselves calling for him to get a spot.

Even?? LOL, Celtic won't score much more than 3 imo:(

I thought he did ok last night, did well to create his chance and a cracking free kick. bit unfair to judge him at this level on one outing. Certainly should be a squad player for Ireland and im sure the new man will call him up. has he said anything since trap has gone?

CSF

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Even?? LOL, Celtic won't score much more than 3 imo:(

I thought he did ok last night, did well to create his chance and a cracking free kick. bit unfair to judge him at this level on one outing. Certainly should be a squad player for Ireland and im sure the new man will call him up. has he said anything since trap has gone?

Didn't see much of the Celtic game so won't pass comment on his performance. My point was that to impress he will have to take his limited opportunities against top opposition and take advantage of them. He isn't going to prove much destroying St Mirren or this new Hearts team, nor will Doyle in League 1.

As I said, he should be given an opportunity in a friendly, and if he grabs that by the horns, great. If not, I don't think he justifies a call up for the competitive games.

CSF

Not doing a whole lot to justify future callups here.

Lennonist

CSF wrote: »

Not doing a whole lot to justify future callups here.

To be fair I'm not sure what Noel King's tactics are here. Stokes is a moderately talented player. Judge him on his performances in the CL with Celtic, if you're interested in watching him, not tonight in this set up.

CSF

Lennonist wrote: »

To be fair I'm not sure what Noel King's tactics are here. Stokes is a moderately talented player. Judge him on his performances in the CL with Celtic, if you're interested in watching him, not tonight in this set up.

I've seen him plenty. Having a shocker here though, wasted a very good chance and gave them a goal.

Pinturicchio

Lennonist wrote: »

To be fair I'm not sure what Noel King's tactics are here.

1. Get Forde to hit it long towards Doyle.
2. Doyle should beat Lahm in the air.
3. Hope for the best.

Lennonist

Pinturicchio wrote: »

1. Get Forde to hit it long towards Doyle.
2. Doyle should beat Lahm in the air.
3. Hope for the best.

That's it in a nutshell, I'm on the pumpkin seeds tonight.

SlipperyPeople

Lennonist wrote: »

That's it in a nutshell, I'm on the pumpkin seeds tonight.

G'man

jeffery lebowski

oh dear .. air shot