Stokes: Trap door closed on me

Anthony Stokes fears that he will never play for the Republic of Ireland again while Giovanni Trapattoni is in charge.

Celtic striker Stokes, 24, thinks Trapattoni is continuing to overlook him because of what happened two years ago.

Stokes withdraw from the Ireland squad for the Carling Nations Cup games in 2011 and has been in the international wilderness ever since.

He said: “Regardless of how many goals I score for Celtic I will struggle to get back into the Ireland team.

“He (Trapattoni) appears to be looking at every other striker bar me. So there must be something else to it but I have no idea what it is.

“It can only be when I pulled out of the Carling Nations Cup games.

“But there were five or six players who did the same and they have all been back involved in the Ireland side.

“I would not say it stings to be left out but playing for my country means a lot to me.

“All this stuff about being too tired to play is ridiculous.

“The door will remain closed to me while is still manager.”