Michail Antonio should be ashamed over West Ham comments, there’s no excuse
Michail Antonio has become a major talking point among West Ham United supporters following his comments over the last week.
The former Irons forward left the club at the end of the 2024-25 season after spending time on the sidelines following a road accident during that campaign.
The following year, the Hammers were relegated to the Championship under Nuno Espirito Santo.
There were clear signs of improvement after the turn of the year, but it ultimately was not enough, with relegation confirmed on the final day.
Based on his latest verdict in the aftermath, Antonio’s legacy at the London Stadium is at risk of being slightly tarnished.
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Michail Antonio comments hit hard after prior West Ham legacy
After joining from Nottingham Forest in 2015, Antonio became a mainstay for the Irons over the next 10 years.
Having played on the wing and at full-back before eventually settling as a striker, he went on to enjoy some incredible highs with the club.
| Area | Stats |
| Games | 323 |
| Goals | 83 |
| Trophies | 1 (Conference League) |
| Time spent at club | Sep 2015 – Jun 2025 |
After being involved in a serious car crash incident, Antonio’s time with the Hammers came to an end last summer, which saw him clock out of the London Stadium with 323 appearances to his name.
With this in mind, the Jamaican international admitted to carrying resentment in the aftermath – with West Ham themselves fighting relegation.
“I played basically every week for 10 years straight… most Premier League goals for West Ham. It wasn’t like I was a squad player,” Antonio told Capital XTRA.
“Then I get in a car crash, so I’m thinking that they’ll look after me, because they said they probably will give me something. Then at the end of the season, they didn’t.
“I was like, the only way for the owners to feel my pain is by them getting relegated. So, I was like, ‘You know what, I want the club to get relegated.”
This wish would come true on the final day of the season, despite a 3-0 win against Leeds United.
He would backtrack slightly, saying: “When I realised [those feelings], and then I saw they were struggling and thinking about them getting relegated, I was like, ‘I don’t actually want that to happen.
“Because at the end of the day, I’ve got my boys there. I cared for the fans and stuff like that. So, I kind of was like, ‘Oh, come on, boys!’’
While Antonio did backtrack, the mere thought of him wanting a club he represented for so long to go down is a sickener.
Is Michail Antonio right to feel this way as West Ham drop to the Championship?
Of course, it is natural for someone to feel frustrated after giving so much of his career to West Ham.
However, the simple fact of the matter is that this is no way for a club icon to speak about the Hammers.
At the moment, there is a nervous and irritated atmosphere around the London Stadium, with an uncertain future lying ahead.
Antonio is entitled to his opinion, but now is simply not the time to reveal those thoughts.
With all the understandable criticism surrounding the club this season, and the frustration of giving up their place in the Premier League, the extra drama to emerge over the last week is only going to add to the toxic atmosphere around the London Stadium heading into the summer.