Confident Anthony Stokes sets Celtic treble challenge

Published on Thursday 9 September 2010 21:09

Still eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland Under-21 side, the player can already list Arsenal, Falkirk, Sunderland and Hibernian as former clubs. Now with Celtic, and anticipating a first appearance for the club he supported as a boy against Hearts tomorrow, he is eyeing a clean sweep of trophies in his maiden season.

•Strikers Anthony Stokes, left, and Daryl Murphy were team-mates at Sunderland and find themselves together again at Celtic. Both could start in attack against Hearts in the SPL tomorrow. Picture: SNS

His first challenge, however, is to secure a first-team place. Manager Neil Lennon is blessed with options, even following Marc-Antoine Fortune's return to West Bromwich Albion. Stokes looks well qualified to claim one of the striking berths after 21 league goals for Hibs last season. Daryl Murphy could be an ideal partner. He scored his first goal of the season in the 1-0 over Motherwell two weekends ago and has returned from the international break to find a familiar face vying to join him up front - or, perhaps, even take his place.

The pair played up front together for Sunderland when the Wearside club lifted the Championship title under Roy Keane so have experience of winning together. "It's not like we're just starting out and don't know each other, we know each others' game quite well," Murphy pointed out yesterday, as the Irish strikers helped promote Citylink's partnership extension with Celtic. Murphy may consider himself to be in the driving seat. "My first chance came against Motherwell and I scored," he said, with reference to the winner he hit from the penalty spot at Fir Park. There is an edge even in training. "You're cursing the others if they're banging them in," Murphy grinned.

Stokes, you can be sure, has been doing that and he is confident of playing a part tomorrow against a side who brought out the best in him last season. He scored twice in four derbies last season for Hibs and will relish the chance to put these old foes to the sword again.

"I think I've a good chance of playing," Stokes said. "I know there's a lot of competition and if I get the chance I need to take it. We have four or five strikers so it's up to me to prove myself in training and take it from there. It's still early in the season and players still have to put their own authority on places so it's a good time to be coming in."

Lennon has already taken Stokes to one side in training and told him to make sure he gets himself into the box at every opportunity. He can expect to be doing this a lot for a side likely to be dominating nearly every game. Having already promised to be Celtic's version of Kris Boyd, he raised the bar further when claiming Celtic can win the treble in Lennon's first full season as manager, and with a much-changed team.

"With the squad we have we could win everything this year," Stokes said."You have to go out and try to win everything, it's as simple as that. You can't just say you're happy with the league because if you can win the league why can't you go on and win the cups as well? It will be tough, don't get me wrong, but we've got a big squad with very good players so in my opinion I think we should go out and try to win everything.

"I don't think it's too far-fetched," he added. "The team has won the first three games and with so many new players in, the team is only going to get better. I've watched the games and the 1-0 win over Motherwell could have been four or five. The team as a whole can only get better and we'll start to see that five or six games down the line."

According to Stokes, the lack of winning mentality prevented Hibs making the most of their strong start last season. He genuinely thought the Easter Road side might be title contenders but this challenge foundered badly after Christmas. In the striker's opinion, there was an absence of belief in the dressing-room. "The way we started the season, after six months I thought we could have a right go and be there or there abouts," he said.

"But Hibs are not at that highest level yet and mentally I don't think the players expected to do it. When we fell away towards the end of the season, people kind of expected that. Here it's a different ball game. People are coming down on you like a ton of bricks. But with the players we have, and the money we've spent, you have to accept that."