Hammer Michail Antonio says he has been dropped by every single West Ham manager no matter how well he has played but he always proves them wrong despite not being the prettiest of players.
Speaking to the Sky Sports Super Six podcast the West Ham player explains “Every single manager that has come in, has dropped me, no matter how well I did before. It’s the way I play, I’m not the prettiest player, but then, they start releasing when things aren’t going well, they need a fighter and I’m a fighter”
Antonio signed for the Hammers from Championship side Nottingham, Forest on 1st September 2015 for around £7.6 million on a four-year contract with an option for a further two years. In 2017 he penned in a new four-year contract on better terms.
His contract expires in May 202 but ClaretandHugh understands the club has a two-year option on him which will take him beyond his 33rd birthday in the March of 2023.
Michail Antonio is the best. He has played (very well) in every position he has been asked to play. Probably playing too well in all positions has meant that he has been viewed as an infill player just helping out until the real man, the specialist, is available.
Really hope those days are over and we are able to rely on the exemplary attitude and effort of Michail. He really looks happy to play and I’m sure he is enjoying his football at the moment.
This is the guy we should be tying to a good contract for five or six more years. He doesn’t seem the type to do a ‘Danny Gabbidon’. He seems more the type to give it his all forever. If he should be surpassed by someone better up front in the future, I could see him still doing an excellent job in the centre of defence or wherever.
Hope that David recognises the man’s talent and influence and continues with him leading the attack. Principal attacker role doesn’t neccessarily mean up there on his own. By all means play Haller there with him – and Bowen.
As we sing in our house ‘Michail Antonio, Michail Antonio, Michail Antonio, Michail Antonio’ to the ‘tune’ of Paolo DiCanio.
COYI
Glad Manager Moyes has faith in Antonio. Long may that continue, especially with a proper play-maker in Said B alongside Antonio ….. sparks are gonna fly.
God bless Antoni, and God bless West Ham.
Moyes is no fool – he knows how valuable a fit Antonio is to the team. He’s already well tied down and will see his career out with us. His only problem is that his game relies on strength and speed, both of which not only fade with age, but make any player injury-prone.
But I’m with you, Taffy – he’s a man we should still build our team’s Plan ‘A’ around.
I am a massive fan of Michael Antonio – especially his never say die attitude
A strength of Moyes is that he seems to be able to bring out the best in certain players
Lets hope that this season is Antonio’s Indian summer
I’ve always seen the player that Michail is….. and have always rated him highly.
I’ve seen the managers that have dropped him because they have looked on him as a one-dimensional player, but he has much more to his game than that.
Also, some of our supporters and vloggers who now see him as an important player were those same supporters who talked about him as an off the bench impact player.
Zabaleta described Antonio as a beast with relentless pace, power and strength in equal measure and when having to defend against such a player…. it is a Nightmare that no defender wants to face.
When we were first linked with Antonio, I had to have a look on youtube to find out more about him and what he had to offer us. Immediately I was struck by his pace, power, strength and that he was capable of scoring goals as a winger. Which is where players like Thierry Henry, Raheem Sterling and many other wingers started before becoming prolific goalscorers, so to say that Michail isn’t a striker is as ridiculous as it sounds.
He’s a player that Wants to be at this club, gives 100% Every time he steps onto that pitch in the Claret & Blue and is on his way to becoming a West Ham modern-day legend.
Guaranteed he’ll give us 100% and hopefully get a hat-trick against those spuds tomorrow.
COYI
It isn’t just his play, it is his attitude and work ethic. There is no substitute for hard work.