Michail Antonio has opened up about his emotional turmoil after a return to the Premier League fell through, following his departure from West Ham United. The 35-year-old striker, who suffered a broken leg in a car crash last year, has now joined Qatari side Al-Sailiya on a deal until the end of the season.
Antonio, who had trials with Brentford, Leicester City, and Charlton Athletic, revealed that he was left in tears after a calf injury scuppered his move to Brentford. 'When I found out I'd torn my calf the day before signing for Brentford, I laid in bed for two days. First day, I was just crying. The second day, I just didn't want to get out of bed,' he told BBC Sport.
The Jamaica international admitted that his ego initially prevented him from accepting trials, but he eventually relented. 'I said 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,' he said. However, after his agent insisted, he trained with Brentford for two weeks.
Antonio also revealed that some clubs refused to consider him due to his accident and injury. 'There were managers and clubs who refused to look at me because of what happened - the accident, the injury. Some owners went against it,' he explained.
Despite the setbacks, Antonio remains confident in his abilities. 'I've still got the qualities I had in the Premier League for the past 10 years,' he said. He now hopes to revive his career in Qatar with Al-Sailiya.
