Michail Antonio has disclosed that his debut day for new Qatari club Al Sailiya was overshadowed by fear and regional instability, with the former West Ham striker admitting he felt 'terrified' amid bombings that shook his hotel. The 35-year-old's move to the Middle East coincided with escalating tensions across the region, casting a shadow over his footballing comeback.
Unsettling Start in Qatar
Antonio officially joined Al Sailiya just two days after the outbreak of war in the region, following collapsed moves to Championship sides Leicester City and Charlton Athletic due to injury concerns. His short-term deal was arranged after fellow Jamaica international Mason Holgate persuaded him to sign until the season's end.
'The day I was meant to make my debut, that was a frightening day, hearing bombs and the hotel was shaking, that was terrifying,' Antonio told talkSPORT. 'I looked out the window and saw flames from the bombs flying, that was the only day that was scary for me.'
Football Disrupted by Conflict
On 1 March, the Qatar Football Association announced the postponement of all championships, competitions and matches as the country became involved in the conflict. Iran targeted US-based airbases and energy infrastructure, although football has since resumed with interruptions.
Antonio eventually made his Al Sailiya debut last week, playing just over 70 minutes in a 4-0 defeat to Al Duhail. More recently, Al Sailiya's match on Wednesday night was paused for 19 minutes as players were taken off the pitch following warning sirens across Doha.
It was one of three Qatar Stars League matches halted that evening after people received a National Emergency Alert at 9.51pm local time. The Interior Ministry confirmed the threat had been eliminated by 10.08pm, and the match between Al Sailiya and Al Shahaniya resumed shortly afterwards, with Antonio's side clinching a 3-2 victory.
Beyond the Initial Fear
Despite the traumatic start, Antonio insisted that beyond that initial day, he has largely felt safe in Qatar. 'I've not had the experience of anything crazy going on here, so that's the reason I do feel quite safe here... it reassures me that I'm OK here and I'm safe here,' he said.
The striker praised the warm weather, training facilities and slower tempo of football in the Qatar Stars League, suggesting the environment has been conducive to his recovery and adaptation.
West Ham Departure and Recovery Journey
Antonio left West Ham last summer as the club's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer, with 83 goals in 323 appearances. His departure followed a near-fatal car crash in December 2024 that left him hospitalized for three weeks and recovering from significant injuries.
He claimed Graham Potter, who took charge of West Ham a month after Antonio's Ferrari crash in Epping Forest, was keen to move him and other members of the 'old regime' on. 'I felt like it was mainly pushed by Graham Potter. I feel like he was just trying to get rid of the old regime... he got rid of a lot of the senior players like me, Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal, Edson Alvarez, players who had more control of the changing rooms,' Antonio revealed.
Potter was sacked a month after Antonio's departure in September last year. 'That was part of my frustration. He wasn't doing well anyway at the club, but they had to stick by him and make a big decision on my career and then not long later, he was gone,' Antonio added.
Swallowing His Ego
After West Ham opted to let him leave, Antonio described how he had to 'swallow his ego' as he attempted to find a new club. In an interview with BBC last year, he explained: 'I've still got the qualities I had in the Premier League for the past 10 years. It shows, because every single manager was putting a contract in front of me once I trained with them.'
'But there were managers and clubs who refused to look at me because of what happened - the accident, the injury. Some owners went against it. In football, the manager can want you, but it's the owner's money.'
Antonio initially resisted training trials, telling clubs: 'I'm not coming to train. You've seen me play with Jamaica, you've seen my past 10 years. I shouldn't have to train to get a contract.' However, after staying at West Ham, training with the under-21s and going away with Jamaica again, his agent convinced him to prove his fitness through training.
Missed Opportunities and Final Move
This approach led him to Brentford, where he trained for two weeks and was close to signing before further injury problems arose. 'When I found out I'd torn my calf the day before signing for Brentford, I laid in bed for two days,' he said. 'First day, I was just crying. The second day, I just didn't want to get out of bed.'
'I thought, "I'm back where I want to be, I'm back in the Premier League. I was meant to return to Leicester but they didn't want me back in because they didn't want a relapse on their books. So I trained alone for a week and then went into Charlton."'
Holgate's call to join Al Sailiya came at the perfect moment, providing Antonio with a fresh start in Qatar despite the challenging circumstances surrounding his debut.
