Michail Antonio: New England call-up rejected repeated calls by Jamaica to wait for Three Lions chance
West Ham man knew nothing about his selection until after scoring his second goal of the season in 3-1 loss at Man City
MICHAIL ANTONIO earned his dream England call-up after repeatedly turning down offers to play for Jamaica.
The West Ham star was repeatedly asked to pledge his allegiance to the Reggae Boyz over four years during his spells at Reading, Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest and then West Ham.
Yet a determined Antonio, 26, told friends, family and team-mates that he hoped that one day he would get the call to play for the Three Lions - and would never give up.
And tonight, ahead of Sunday’s opening World Cup qualifier with Russia, Antonio got the call.
Antonio said: “I turned down an approach from Jamaica in March and for this to happen so quickly, I’m buzzing. I just want to keep my feet on the floor.
"In my first season in the Premier League, even though I had good stats, the England manager would have had to take a risk on me.
“It looks like the gaffer now believes that I’ve done enough to be in there, so hopefully I can prove him right.”
He knew nothing about his selection until after scoring his second goal of the season in West Ham’s 2-1 loss at Manchester City and was understood to be jubilant.
Even this summer, when many of his team-mates were on holiday, Antonio employed a fitness coach for sessions on the ground at his former club Tooting & Mitcham in south London.
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Antonio was given use of the facilities as he has repeatedly returned to the south London to help out with community sessions, sharing his experience with youngsters.
Antonio was signed by Reading from Tooting and Mitcham in 2008 before being farmed out at Cheltenham, Colchester, Southampton and Wednesday before joining the Yorkshire club on a permanent deal in 2012
He switched to Forest for £1.5m in 2014 and after scoring 15 goals headed to West Ham last summer for £6m.
Known for a strong sense of humour, Antonio always wanted to be a professional football star but when he was at secondary school in Tooting, was stopped from joining Tottenham’s academy as his mother said north London was too far away.
Antonio started the first game of this season against Chelsea as a wing-back and gave away a penalty. But Allardyce will see him as more of a threat in his favoured right wing spot.
Seven days ago, he scored West Ham’s first Premier League goal at the Olympic Stadium against Bournemouth.
WHO IS MICHAIL ANTONIO?
Born in Wandsworth in 1990 and made Tooting & Mitcham debut at age of 17.
Spotted by Reading and joined in 2008.
Never settled and after a series of loans moved to Sheff Wed in 2012.
Joined Nottingham Forest for £1.5million in 2014 and scored 19 goals before signing for West Ham in September 2015 for £7m.
Made debut in December and scored nine times last season.