ALAN Stubbs believes Anthony Stokes’s big game experience could prove invaluable for Hibs in their League Cup semi-final with St. Johnstone at Hampden tomorrow and has stressed the striker could start.
Stokes, who has fallen out of favour at Celtic this season, joined the Easter Road club on loan until the end of the season last week and scored on his debut in a 3-1 win over St. Mirren last Saturday after coming on as a substitute.
It was the Republic of Ireland internationalist’s first involvement in a competitive match since he played for the Scottish champions in a Premiership game against Dundee United at Tannadice way back in August.
Stubbs, whose young side lost in the Scottish Cup semi-final to Championship rivals Falkirk last season, admitted the 27-year-old was lacking match sharpness after being sidelined for the majority of the 2015/16 campaign.
However, the Englishman believes the forward can give the capital club, who have beaten Aberdeen and Dundee United previously in the competition, a cutting edge against their Premiership opponents.
“When somebody of that quality, a marquee signing, walks in to the dressing room he has got the attention of all the players," he said. "They know how good a player he is.
"I think the signing has got everybody’s attention, not just the players in the dressing room or the fans. It is up there with one of the most significant transfers that we’ve had up until now.
“It will certainly only help us having someone with not just his quality, but also know how of playing in games like this.
"Before the last semi-final against Falkirk I said that sometimes on the big occasion you can get there and you can freeze. That was why I wasn’t disappointed. We didn’t freeze. It was just one of them days when it just wasn’t to be.
"We will go there on Saturday and I am very confident that my players will perform. The initial impact that he has made from the signing is probably still there. I think the one thing we are really missing from him now is more game time.
“I don’t think he’s far away. We have got him for three or four months not three or four weeks. One thing we don’t want to do is rush him in too quickly. He could pick up an injury that way. But I wouldn’t have a problem starting him.”
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