Athletic Club head coach Ernesto Valverde has praised Ghana international Iñaki Williams for stepping up when the team needed him most after a late injury forced a change to the club's plans during their 3-0 pre-season victory over Burgos.
Athletic were dealt a setback before kick-off when Beñat Gerenabarrena was ruled out with last-minute discomfort. Unwilling to take any risks with the youngster, the coaching staff turned to their experienced captain, who delivered another influential performance.
Williams, who only recently rejoined pre-season after representing Ghana at the FIFA World Cup, exceeded expectations by playing more minutes than initially planned. The versatile forward also showcased his tactical flexibility by operating in three different attacking positions throughout the match.
The Ghanaian crowned his impressive outing with a goal, playing a key role as Athletic Club secured a comfortable 3-0 victory.
Speaking after the match, Valverde highlighted Williams' importance to the team and praised his willingness to adapt to different roles.
"The most important thing is that he played today, and he even got more minutes than expected because of Gerenabarrena's injury. He felt good, and we didn't want to take any risks with Gere, so Iñaki played more and in three different positions," Valverde said.
The Athletic boss added that Williams' versatility has always been one of his greatest strengths and suggested the Ghana international could be asked to perform similar roles again during the upcoming campaign.
Valverde also expressed satisfaction with his side's overall pre-season progress, believing Athletic Club produced another encouraging display and could have scored even more goals against Burgos.
With their opening La Liga fixture postponed following the rescheduling of their clash with Barcelona, Athletic Club will now enjoy a short break before resuming preparations for the new season, with Williams expected to play a central role in the team's ambitions.
