Antonio Gets England Call-up After Rejecting Reggae Boyz
Former non-league star rewarded for international patience
Michail Antonio’s dream of playing for England has taken one step closer after the West Ham winger was selected for Sunday’s game against Slovakia. The 26-year-old former non-league player had turned down a trio of requests to represent Jamaica but only because he was determined to wear an England shirt instead.
And new head coach Sam Allardyce has added Antonio to his first England squad. London-born Antonio rejected the chance to play for the Reggae Boyz for the final time in March, having been approached twice before when he was plying his trade in the English Championship. Antonio explained in March: “Jamaica called, but if I keep doing what I’m doing then hopefully I can get an England call-up.”
Fast forward five months and he has been included in the England squad for the first time, although he was overlooked for this summer’s Euro Championship in France.
And having employed a fitness coach during the off season, his dogged determination to wear a Three Lions shirt has paid dividends.
He explained: ”I’m buzzing and just want to keep my feet on the floor.”
Antonio kicked off his career with English non-league outfit Tooting & Mitcham in 2007 and a year later was snapped up by Reading, but only made 28 appearances over five seasons as he was constantly loaned out.
Yet a surprise swoop from Nottingham Forest in 2012 saw the whizzy winger move for £1.5m, then bag their Player of the Season after appearing in every league match and having notched 14 goals.
He turned down a £4m move to Premier League side West Bromwich Albion, but when West Ham put in a £7m bid, it was a no-brainer and Antonio – whose mother had not permitted him to join Tottenham Hotspurs as a junior because of the distance from their home – has since thrived in the top tier.
He has only played 29 games for the Hammers, scoring ten times – including West Ham’s inaugural Premier League goal at their new home of the Olympic Stadium this month.
Excited Antonio, thrilled about his England call-up, added: “It’s come so quickly and in my first Premier League season the England manager would have had to take a risk on me.
“It now looks like the gaffer believes that I’ve done enough to be in there, hopefully I can prove him right.”
Allardyce said: “This is another lad with a great journey, it’s a fantastic journey that he’s been on from non-league to an international call-up.”
With the Reggae Boyz in action in Panama as they attempt to resurrect their World Cup Qualifying campaign on Friday, Antonio will be in Europa as part of the England set-up who will be planning how to defeat hosts Slovakia in their World Cup Qualifier.
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