Julen Lopetegui issued Michail Antonio advice at West Ham United after tell-all interview
Gabby Agbonlahor has urged Julen Lopetegui to give Michail Antonio an extended break from West Ham United during the summer to deal with his struggles with mental health.
The Hammers striker has opened up about his current problems via The High Performance Podcast [16 May], having gone to therapy to deal with “disliking the game” of football.
Antonio’s 2023/24 season has been plagued by injury and has been heavily criticised for some of his performances, and Agbonlahor has pleaded with the incoming West Ham manager to give him extra time off.
Speaking live via talkSPORT on Thursday [16 May, 7:26am], he said: “Maybe, with the new manager coming in at West Ham, give Antonio some extra time off in the summer and tell him to sort himself out.
“That’s what a manager should do. With mental health problems, give him some more time off.”
Michail Antonio speaks out amid West Ham United troubles
It takes a lot of bravery for someone to speak out about their problems, especially when it comes to mental health, so Antonio must be praised for that.
During Mental Health Awareness Week, a simple conversation on a podcast from a footballer, such as himself, could have a positive impact on those struggling in their day-to-day lives.
As a footballer in the Premier League, Antonio is under so much pressure to perform that the simplest of joys can be stripped away and turned into negative, which is why it is so important to open up.
Of course, the 33-year-old has extremely high standards for himself. Despite missing several weeks through injury, he has still managed to notch nine goal contributions in all competitions, though the striker is still hard on himself.
Antonio is certainly a fan favourite at London Stadium so he will be supported by each and every fan, and the club will be keen to work with him to work through it all.
However, after nearly a decade in London, the Jamaican international could be set to switch with interest from both the MLS and Saudi Arabia beginning to emerge.
While it would be upsetting for this to be Antonio’s final season with West Ham, it is important that he gets the help needed to overcome his mental health struggles and begin to enjoy his football again.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have been rejected by Edin Terzic.
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