West Ham’s Antonio “will play again” after car crash
West Ham United’s Michail Antonio said he “will play again” once he recovers from his near-fatal road traffic collision.
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Antonio will return to football
Antonio, 34, said he “nearly died” when his car struck a tree in Epping, Essex, on December 7, leaving his leg “completely shattered.”
However, the forward remains optimistic about his return to the football pitch, even suggesting he is months ahead of schedule in his recovery.
“Yes, 100%. I will play again,” Antonio told BBC in an interview when asked if he can return to his previous level.
“That’s what I am focused on and why I am working six days a week,” he added.
“I’ve always been positive from this situation. It’s a horrendous accident, and it’s a massive injury.”
“It’s the biggest injury I’ve ever had in my career. But the fact that I’m already two to three months ahead of where I should be, I know that I’ll play again, and I know that once I’m playing the game I’ll get the sharpness back.”
“I was one of the quickest at West Ham. So my body wasn’t the body of a 34-year-old before I had the accident anyway. I can still be sharp and still do the business.”
“People have always doubted me. My mental strength is something that I’ve always believed in and this is just another setback, and it is not going to stop me.”
Impact of his injury
Antonio had been a key part of West Ham’s squad this season, despite a host of summer signings, before his accident occurred.
The Jamaican also detailed his extensive injuries.
“I shattered my femur bone in four different places,” he said. “I had one single keyhole surgery. They put a pole in my thigh with four bolts, so screws and bolts to knit it back together.”
“My first surgeon said he didn’t want me to put any weight on my leg for three months, which is around about now, and you can see that I am walking.”
“We got a second specialist who said I needed to start putting weight on it, increasing from 10% up to 100% within three weeks.”
“But I kept my crutches for a further two weeks. Overall, they say it will be between six to 12 months before my leg starts healing properly.”
