Alternatives To Stokesy
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Tony Stokes has been the subject of as much transfer speculation as any player of recent years. I am a fan, sort of … as long as he’s playing in Scotland.
Stokes is one of those guys who makes me want to bang my head against the wall, if I’m being terribly blunt
This guy will score goals for Celtic. He has. He has scored goals for other clubs too, like Dundee and Hibs. But when the chips are down, Anthony Stokes just doesn’t do it enough, or against the bigger sides. This is the reason I get frustrated. His failure in the English Championship was dismal and didn’t point towards great things when he came up here to pull on the Hoops.
He also needed to be convinced to come in the first place, after turning us down once.
That has always grated on me, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. All would have been forgiven had he been consistently sharp and the truth is, I just don’t think he’s done enough when it’s really mattered. On the bigger stage.
I once described him as “Celtic’s Kris Boyd”, which is actually unfair as he has ten times the natural ability and is a proper athlete whereas the Monster Munch Kid … well, he isn’t.
But I wasn’t referring to atheleticism or ability … just goalscoring.
And the point stands. He is an SPL goalscorer. He’s not ever going to do it for us in the Champions League.
So if he’s really for the off at the end of the season – and he’s been linked with a move to join Lenny at Bolton, amongst other teams – we’re going to need to replace him.
By that, I mean with a squad player. Not a first choice centre forward.
The names I’ve featured are capable, but I wouldn’t be relying on them to rattle in the goals against Bayern Munich away ….
Click On The Picture For The Next Page ….
I like this guy. Nadir Cifcti is a pretty decent footballer, with a lot of talent and bags of potential.
He’s scored goals at United, but as much as anything else he’s been a gigantic pain in the rear end every time we’ve come up against him.
He is big, and strong, and good with the ball. He’s got something our other strikers don’t have, and what Stokesy himself lacks … a physical presence.
Maybe too much of one. He’s been a bit naughty in his games against us.
Nevertheless, he’s 23 and has experience in England, Holland and Turkey. He’s developing, and doing just fine.
I’d take a punt on him as a squad player. United fans will cry the blues and whilst I understand, and sympathise, we’ve gotten used to losing our top players.
It’s a tough old world. This guy would be a good signing and that’s all that matters.
Adam Rooney needs no introduction, I’m sure. He’s done the business this season, and no mistake.
I’ll tell you why I like him; he’s at his second club in Scotland and he’s scored goals with both.
He, like Stokes, has played in England and not done nearly as well.
But he intruiges me nonetheless.
At 26, he’s scored over 60 goals in Scottish football, and over 100 in his career so far.
That’s impressive in anyone’s eyes. With the right players around him, you’ve got to think he’d score many, many more.
Rooney is a decent footballer. Us going for him would remove a central plank of the Aberdeen challenge for next season.
Some people will cry the blues over that, and Sevco fans, who are already wailing about us signing Mackay Steven and Armstrong, will say we’re “financial doping”, because they are thick and don’t understand what the phrase actually means.
Rooney would do a job for us. No question.
A wildcard name, but something to think about ….
Troy Deeney is captain of Watford and might just be out of our price range.
But if we were willing to take a punt and go for it this boy would do more than replace Stokes; he could well be the next Gary Hooper.
Yes, he’s that good.
Deeney has a colourful background; he’s done time in the jail, for an assault in 2012.
I read his story recently and to say he’s matured and learned from the experience is an understatement. This is no Ched Evans with a complete lack of self awareness or even the slightest modicum of remorse. He was a first offender, he paid his debt and he’s matured into a very capable young leader on the pitch, as evidenced by the club making him captain.
He’s the same age as Rooney, and has scored as many goals – 115 in his career thus far, most of them in England and over 80 at Vicarage Road.
Would we get him if we went for him? He would cost us, and more than the other two combined … but he’s a proven player and he’s got a good head on his shoulders.
Worth a punt?
Now we’re talking. Now we’re talking something substantial.
If we’re going to replace Stokes, why not do it with some proven quality and go large?
Robert Beric of Rapid Vienna is 23 years old, 6’2 and has over 80 goals already.
I have no idea what Beric would cost us. A couple of million certainly, but he would be worth every penny.
This is a guy who could very well score goals on that bigger stage we’re always talking about.
Beric is a class finisher and a powerful presence.
If we’re serious about doing well in Europe this is the kind of player we ought to be looking at.
On a similar note, there’s Stefanos Athanasiadis from PAOK Salonica in Greece.
Last year, he scored an 18 hat-trick against Dinamo Minsk in the Europa League, and he has seven goals in that tournament.
He’s 26, he’s 6’1 and he has nearly a 100 goals in his career, all of it spent in Greek football.
That might be a deal breaker for some … but that’s just arrogance talking. This guy has goals on the big stage too.
He’s been at PAOK for the better part of his career; indeed, he’s a product of their youth system.
They would be loathe to part with him … but money talks.
Especially in football.
Would I take him in a straight swap for Anthony Stokes?
Yes, and I’d be sure to remove my ski-mask before I left the building …
Hey, I can dream can’t I?
Guy only has one year of his contract left at Arsenal!
And why wouldn’t he want to depart a club he’s been at all his life for adventures elsewhere?
Sunny Scotland for God’s sake! Glasgow! The best city in the world bar none!
Go on Peter, show us the money …
You know you really want to … .
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