Antonio spent a decade with the Ironplaceholder image
Antonio spent a decade with the Iron | Getty Images
Former West Ham star Michail Antonio has cleared up rumours of his relationship with David Sullivan.
Former West Ham favourite Michail Antonio has issued his thoughts on owner David Sullivan, who is a controversial figure among Hammers fans. Antonio enjoyed a superb spell with the Iron across a 10-year period until 2025.
Antonio was involved in a serious car crash that curtailed his final year at the club, and he was ultimately released by Graham Potter, who didn’t last very long, getting the sack early this season having been appointed in January of 2025.
Antonio has previously hit out at Potter for his failures as Iron boss, ultimately setting up the relegation battle West Ham find themselves in today.
“I felt like it (being released by West Ham) 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,” Antonio told talkSPORT.
“More of the leaders of the group were moved on… I feel like he didn’t want anyone with any influence in the changing room to be there, so anyone he had the opportunity to get rid of, he did…That was part of my frustration (that Potter was not sacked sooner).
“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.”
Antonio on Sullivan
In a recent interview with the same outlet, Antonio cleared up whether there is any beef between him and the club;s owner, Sullivan.
He said: “I love the club and how I was treated there for the last 10 years. One of the people I’ve always thanked is Dave Sullivan for how he’s treated me over the years. I have no resentment to him.”
Many have called upon Sullivan to sell the club, and he may well have his shortcomings, but it seems he does serve players at the club well. and that is a positive given how some owners take a ruthless approach to squad management. Antonio is now with Al-Sailiya in Qatar.
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