JFF anxious about Antonio injury
THE JAMAICA Football Federation (JFF) is concerned about whether West Ham United striker Michail Antonio will be fit for the Concacaf Gold Cup tournament this summer. Antonio, 31, has been struggling with a hamstring injury which he sustained on April 5 during an English Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers that has kept him out of action for almost a month.
“We are getting reports on him because he is still out and he is getting better, but he is not ready to play yet, so it is a wait and see situation,” JFF General Secretary Dalton Wint said.
“There is always doubt when a person is injured, but we are very optimistic that he will be able to get over it in time for the Gold Cup.”
Wint said that Antonio, born in England but qualifies to represent the Jamaica through parentage, has not received his Jamaican passport.
“There is always a process and the process cannot be short-handed because the Government has its due process in which you must follow to get a passport, and that process is being followed,” he said.
“I don’t know how far he has reached with it, but I am hopeful that things will work out for us.”
Wint described Antonio as an excellent football player, who has experience under his belt and said that he will add quality and depth to the Reggae Boyz squad.
“We are very much interested in Michail Antonio because he is a quality player and we would love for him to represent us at both tournaments, including the World Cup qualifiers later this year,” he said. Antonio has scored seven goals in 18 appearances for West Ham this season.