Celtic FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014/15 Mod Warning post #6011

NEIL LENNON last night admitted Anthony Stokes had “been dealt with” after recent poor off-the-field publicity about the player reflected badly on Celtic.
The Bhoys boss has reacted following pictures and stories about his striker back in Ireland.

And he has laid it on the line to Stokes, left, that such behaviour won’t be tolerated at Parkhead.

“We have spoke to him and it has been dealt with internally,” rapped Lennon as he prepared for tonight’s Scottish Cup replay against Arbroath at Gayfield.
We have spoke to him and it has been dealt with internally
Celtic boss Neil Lennon
“I am not going to moralise to him but you cannot damage the reputation of the club which he did.

“He is aware of that now.”

Stokes found himself on the front pages rather than the back pages recently when he was back in Dublin and attended a memorial party for a murdered Real IRA boss and Celtic have taken a dim view of it.

The striker is likely to have been fined two weeks’ wages but Lennon is convinced he has learned his lesson.

When asked if Stokes had taken it on board he added: “Absolutely, yes.”

These are difficult times for Stokes who has been out injured for months and is not expected to be back until the new year.

When Lennon was questioned on whether it was make-or-break time for his player at the club he declared: “No. But maybe it is in terms of football.

He has been out for the best part of four to six months, so he wants to get back playing and we want him to get back playing because over the last two seasons he has been a very important player for us in terms of goals.”

With Celts facing a glut of fixtures this month there was better news regarding winger James Forrest who has resumed training after his injury-enforced absence.

Lennonist wrote: »

Where does it say 'Lenny loves the RA", what are you talking about and what "RA" are you talking about, or what do you mean by "the RA"? Most Republicans I know have no truck with the RIRA, which is the crowd Anthony Stokes was fraternising with at the gathering for Alan Ryan.

Neil Lennon has stated clearly that: To me that reads that Stokes is on a final warning not to implicate himself with the RIRA, by turning up at commemorations for their members and posing for photos with RIRA members or supporters.

Anthony Stokes is a young player with some promise, he needs to concentrate on his football career and not be using his status as a Celtic footballer to present himself as some kind of a hero with people he may have grown up with or known from his youth. He's a good footballer, I hope he makes the most of his football career and forgets about all that RIRA stuff. He has been given the opportunity by Celtic to do just that.

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

In other words, Lenny loves the Ra. F***k it and move on. No Celtic fan cares. If I was on a few grand a week I'd sack a fortnight's wages to go to my friend's commemoration.

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

... it was quite clearly a comment on the story being discussed, not your post.

You really should read posts properly before replying to them, that's twice now.