Former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic gushes over striker Michail Antonio
Former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has gushed over Michail Antonio amid the Jamaica international’s excellent form this season.
The Croatian claimed the 31-year-old needed time to adjust when he first signed him from Nottingham Forest in 2015, starting his Hammers career as a right-back.
Fast forward seven years, Antonio now solely leads the Irons attack upfront with his form helping the team reach new heights.
“Pace, strength, everything,” Bilic said of Antonio, as per Football Daily.
“He came, the first few months he needed time to adjust but after that, he was playing as a right-back for us.
“He has done really good; he is one of the main reasons why we finished high [in the table] this season.
“Now, he is playing up front. He is the type of player with his strength, with his pace, with his determination, directness and quality – plus this last couple of seasons he is making good assists and good passes – he is a player that could hurt any centre-back.
“There is no centre-back in the country, including [Virgil] van Dijk that aren’t going to have problems with Michail Antonio.
“You can’t ignore that pace determination and quality.”
Irons legend
The Journey the forward has been on at the London Stadium is truly remarkable. He joined as a player with big potential but question marks hanging over him with his age and having spent so many years, not in the Premier League.
Nobody would have thought that all these years later he would be playing up front – rather impressively at that – with no other replacements.
He is a West Ham legend that is for sure, every time he puts on that claret & blues shirt, Antonio empties the tank. He gives his all for the club and he doesn’t get the credit he deserves.
The former Nottingham Forest ace isn’t the silkiest player on the eye and many might have forgotten where how far he has come during his time in east London but take nothing away from him because who knows where David Moyes’ side would be without him.
In other West Ham news, Moyes slams the UEFA new rule and calls for them to change it.
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