Quotes from Michail Antonio

A lot of my friends who were bigger than me at school got into academies at professional clubs but none are pros now. And none of them has put on an England shirt.

The majority of the time having first touches, when the ball comes to you, you're normally free so you've got time to control, but as a centre forward, you've got to be able to ride it. You've got to tense your body, but then have your foot be soft enough to control the ball, as well.

You come to me and punch me in my face I'm going to protect myself.

Being a lifeguard, not having much money - that is the thing that pushes me the most. I don't want to be in that situation again.

A good manager doesn't put pressure on his players.

The best player I've played with is Adam Lallana. I just think he's quality. He's both footed. When I was playing with him at Southampton I kept asking him what foot he is. He said 'I'm both.' I was like well everyone's dominant one foot and he was like 'no I'm both.'

It's been a part of my game that I've worked on a lot because before I went to Forest I couldn't head the ball to save my life so it was one of those things where I've kept training on it.

I trialled at Brentford in two games. I scored and assisted one. They said I was good and they'd keep an eye on me. I went to AFC Wimbledon but went back to Mitcham and signed my contract because they refused to pay my 7 registration fee.

I prefer to play left wing, that's my favourite role.

I'm an attacking player - I prefer left wing, right wing. They're quite even for me.

A good manager allows you to play with freedom and confidence.

Once I've picked the ball up, I look at the full-back and I make my decision. Am I going to go past him? I don't think about it before. Everything I do is a reaction. That's why some people don't like it.

There was one stage in my football career where I thought I wasn't going to make it. We didn't have much money growing up and my dad always said to me that football wasn't a real job.

Racism doesn't affect me. I've realised now that racism is down to the person doing it. It doesn't affect my life.

I'm not that refined academy player who's going to pick the ball up, pass it and be neat and tidy all the time. I'm a player who's going to get it and run at the full-back, run in behind.

I'm quite ragged. People say 'raw,' and some people don't like raw. They prefer it neat and tidy but you can't be neat and tidy and also be leaping above people at the far stick to score goals.

I don't mind the wing-back role but I don't like to feel boxed in defence. I like to be free, involved and scoring goals - that's when I'm happiest.

I go back to my secondary school to speak to the people there and say, 'If you want to become something, don't ever hesitate, don't ever feel like you can't do it. Just look at my path, look at where I've come.'

Of course I want to get into the England World Cup team, especially having been so close, but I'm not going to be concentrating on it or let it be at the front of my mind.

To have the experience of the World Cup would be unbelievable.

Slaven remains calm and even in games when he feels we should be doing better, he will come in and say 'boys we have the ability to get back in there and I believe in you.' Even if we don't get the points he wants us to show we can do better and make him proud.

England need players who are hungry - not guys who think they should be there because of who they are and what they have done previously.

Players should be picked on form, not reputation.

Playing in non-League gave me the resilience. I learned everything there. You needed to fight off hard tackles and I was playing against big men. You learn how to be strong and take them on and learn resilience.