Martin O’Neill should consider sending a scout out to Iran to keep tabs on the lad.
Anthony Stokes found it tough getting settled over the past few years. He appears to have found a cosy home for himself now.
The 30-year-old was gainfully employed at Hibernian and Celtic for all but one season between 2009 and the end of the 2017/18 season. The one season away from Scotland saw him join Blackburn Rovers but that one ended badly and saw his contract exterminated.
Since he left Hibs, after falling out with Neil Lennon, he joined Greek side Apollon but had that contract nixed after the club claimed he had refused to show up for training. He was linked with a switch to Shamrock Rovers but ended up heading east, to Iran.
He signed up for Iranian Pro League side Tractor Sazi Tabriz and has been tipping along nicely. He has seven league goals so far this season but his latest appearance was something else.
Stokes bagged four goals in the space of 48 minutes as Tractor Sazi defeated Esteghlal Khuzestan 6-0. The Dubliner doubled his side’s lead with a 35th-minute penalty and kicked on from there.
He scored again before half-time and added further strikes on 64 and 83 minutes in an emphatic home win. The victory saw Tractor Sazi climb to 6th in the league table and will further enamour Stokes with the home crowd.
The former Arsenal and Celtic forward scored four goals in 10 appearances for Ireland U21s but has just a solitary senior Ireland cap to his name, won back in 2008.
