Hibs boss says Stokes has heart on Celtic move

Anthony Stokes

Talks which could lead to the 22-year-old heading along the M8 before the transfer window slams shut tomorrow are ongoing, although Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell knows he will have to substantially up his original offer of 800,000 to have any chance of landing the Republic of Ireland internationalist.

Today, however, Hughes revealed he was more or less resigned to losing a player who scored 23 goals last season, making yesterday's disappointing 1-0 defeat at St Mirren Stokes' last game for the Capital outfit.

Stokes turned in a bitterly disappointing performance in Paisley and Hughes today took responsibility for selecting him, agreeing the Dublin-born star's thoughts appeared to be elsewhere throughout the 90 minutes.

The Easter Road manager said: "When I look back on it, and hindsight is a wonderful thing, I am honest enough to say I should not have played him.

"But I felt if the deal was going to go through then he might have gone with a bang."

Although adamant no deal has yet been struck, Hughes admitted there was "a real possibility" of it going through with Stokes himself having expressed an interest in making the move.

Pointing out how Dirk Kuyt had committed himself to Liverpool in the midst of intense speculation regarding his future, Hughes said: "Anthony has never done that and the vibes I am getting from him coming into to see me, from speaking to him and from his body language I just feel his mind is made up.

"I can possibly understand it and if it does happen – although it is not a done and dusted deal as everyone seems to think – then we'll wish him all the best and thank him for what he has done for us."

Hughes revealed he's hoping to bring in one or two new players himself regardless of what happens to Stokes, insisting he's looking for stars who will be 100 per cent committed to Hibs, "guys prepared to sweat blood" for the club. And, if Stokes' hopes of a move to Celtic do fall through Hughes insisted it will be up to him to re-establish himself as a fans favourite at Easter Road.

He said: "You need to earn your living, you make your reputation and the way to do that is by playing football and scoring goals. If it does not go through he can go and sulk but eventually it hits home and he has to get going again.

"I need players 100 per cent committed to this club, who want to play here, guys who are prepared to roll the sleeves up and put in a shift which I think was evident yesterday."

Hughes, who had words with Stokes as he left the pitch, insisted the Irishman wasn't alone in not performing to his best, saying: "There were four or five from whom I expected better. But I take it on the chin, I accept the blame and the responsibility as manager.