Michail Antonio has opened up about a harrowing experience that left him feeling ‘terrified’ on the day he was set to make his debut for Al Sailiya. The former West Ham striker’s unsettling introduction to the Qatari club was marred by bombings in the area, a consequence of escalating tensions across the Middle East.
Antonio’s move to Al Sailiya came just two days after conflict erupted in the region. Initially, he had been poised to join Championship clubs Leicester City or Charlton Athletic, but those plans fell through due to injury concerns. Having been sidelined following a serious car accident in December 2024, Antonio was in search of a new club as he worked through his recovery. His stint with Al Sailiya is a short-term arrangement, encouraged by fellow Jamaican international Mason Holgate, who convinced him to sign on until the season’s end.
Reflecting on that frightening day, Antonio recounted to talkSPORT, “The day I was meant to make my debut was truly frightening. Hearing bombs and feeling the hotel shake was terrifying. I looked out the window and saw flames from the bombs. That was the only day that was scary for me.” Despite the initial shock, Antonio emphasized that he has felt relatively safe since then.
The conflict prompted the Qatar FA to announce on March 1 the postponement of all championships, competitions, and matches. Although Qatar remains embroiled in the conflict, with Iran targeting US-based airbases and energy infrastructure, football activities have gradually resumed.
On 1 March, the Qatar FA announced the postponement of all championships, competitions and matches. Qatar continues to be involved in the conflict, with Iran targeting US-based airbases and energy infrastructure, although football matches have since resumed.
Antonio insisted that, beyond that initial day, he has largely felt safe.
‘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.’
The former West Ham striker joined the Qatari side earlier this month after proposed moves to Championship clubs Leicester City and Charlton Athletic collapsed due to injury concerns
Antonio left West Ham last summer as the club’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer, with 83 goals in 323 appearances
Antonio eventually made his Al Sailiya debut last week, playing just over 70 minutes in a 4-0 defeat to Al Duhail. Since the interview, Antonio also featured in Al Sailiya’s match on Wednesday night, which was paused for 19 minutes, with players 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. At 10.08pm, the Interior Ministry confirmed the threat had been eliminated.
The match between Al Sailiya and Al Shahaniya resumed shortly afterwards, with Antonio’s side going on to clinch a 3-2 victory.
Antonio also opened up on his departure from West Ham, where he left as the club’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer, with 83 goals in 323 appearances.
He claimed Graham Potter, who took charge of West Ham a month after Antonio crashed his Ferrari into a tree in Epping Forest – leaving him in hospital for three weeks – 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.’
Potter was later sacked a month after Antonio left West Ham, in September last year.
Antonio added: ‘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.
‘But it is what it is, it’s football, that’s how it goes, I can’t live in that, I just need to do the right things for me.’
He described how he had to ‘swallow his ego’ in an interview with BBC last year as he attempted to find a club after West Ham opted to let him leave.
Antonio’s switch to Al Sailiya is a short-term deal, arranged after fellow Jamaica international Mason Holgate persuaded him to sign until the end of the season
‘I’ve still got the qualities I had in the Premier League for the past 10 years,’ Antonio told BBC Sport. ‘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.
‘My agent kept calling clubs, and the same thing happened – clubs wanted me to train first. With the ego I had, 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”. Clubs said, “if you don’t train, we won’t sign you”.
‘After staying at West Ham, training with the under-21s and going away with Jamaica again, my agent said, “you’re going to have to train, prove your fitness”. I had to swallow my ego – that’s how I ended up at Brentford. I trained with them for two weeks.’
Antonio was then close to joining Brentford, but 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.’
The call from Holgate came at the perfect moment, and Antonio praised the warm weather, training facilities and slower tempo of football in the Qatar Stars League.
