By Martin Graham
Michael Antonio admits he had to put his pride aside after the car crash that nearly cost him his life as he prepared for his first club outing in 15 months.
The 35-year-old striker has signed for Al-Sailiya and says a number of English sides were reluctant to consider him after the accident in December 2024 that left him with multiple fractures in his leg.
He has featured just three times since the incident, all as a substitute for Jamaica in June. Now, ahead of his return to the Qatar Stars League, Antonio says he feels rejuvenated and determined to prove he is fully fit.
Reflecting on his departure from West Ham Unitedwhere he made 323 appearances and scored 68 Premier League goals to become the club’s all-time top scorer in the competition, he expressed his disappointment at not receiving even a brief farewell appearance in a home friendly. He described his exit in August as difficult and said he eventually fell out of favor with then manager Graham Potter.
Antonio insisted he still possesses the attributes that defined his decade in the Premier League, revealing that while a number of managers were interested after watching him train, some club owners blocked potential deals due to concerns over his injury history.
Setbacks and resilience
The striker suffered four separate fractures to his femur when his Ferrari left the road and hit a tree in Epping Forest during Storm Darragh. He doesn’t remember the accident and says his family felt the most emotionally.
The rehabilitation required him to relearn basic movements, from walking to running and jumping. However, he explained that the most difficult moments were not physical, but the repeated disappointments that followed.
Antonio trained with Brentford for two weeks after agreeing he needed to prove his fitness, only to tear his calf on the eve of a proposed move. Talks with Leicester City also collapsed, with the club unwilling to risk a repeat. He later worked on his own before spending time at Charlton Athletic.
He acknowledged that therapy, which began during a divorce, helped him process those moments. Speaking openly about his experiences, Antonio said counseling allowed him to face setbacks instead of suppressing them and understand their importance in his journey.
Short term deal in Qatar
The opportunity in Qatar emerged just last week after his Jamaica team-mate Mason Holgate informed Al-Sailiya coach Mirghani Al Zain that Antonio was available following an injury to his first-choice striker.
Although a fee arrangement with Charlton was about to expire, he opted for a two-month contract in Qatar. The deal allows him to reassess his options in the summer, while Jamaica continue to fight to reach the World Cup through the play-offs in March.
Antonio dismissed the idea that the change was financially motivated, stating that his immediate priority is to get back into shape and stay healthy. He believes the schedule in Qatar offers more opportunities to stay fit than the demands of playing twice a week.
Addressing questions about Qatar’s human rights record, he said he was unaware of the specific criticisms and that his personal experience since arriving, including during Ramadan, has been positive.
After an extended absence from club competition, Antonio says he is looking forward to the matchday routine once again: the smell of the pitch, the build-up to kick-off and the battle for points.
