Valverde gives Iñaki Williams a dressing down over Saudi Supercup comments
Athletic Club manager Ernesto Valverde has publicly addressed Iñaki Williams' controversial remarks about the Spanish Supercup being held in Saudi Arabia.
New father Iñaki Williams has found himself in the gaffer’s bad books after his blunt assessment of the Spanish Supercup’s Saudi Arabian adventure went viral.
What Williams said
The Athletic Club captain didn’t mince his words when discussing the tournament location, describing playing the Supercup in Saudi Arabia as “a mierda” (not exactly complimentary, let’s put it that way). His candid remarks quickly spread across Spanish media, creating enough of a stir to warrant a response from his manager.
Valverde’s measured response
Ernesto Valverde addressed the situation in Friday’s press conference with the careful diplomacy of a man who’s seen a few rodeos in his time:
“Regardless of whether we like the format more or less, I don’t know if he was very accurate in the expression he used,” Valverde stated, clearly trying to pour some cold water on his captain’s fiery comments.
The gaffer showed understanding for Williams’ personal circumstances while maintaining the club’s professional stance:
- Acknowledged that Williams had just welcomed his first child on New Year’s Day
- Recognized that traveling abroad would be particularly disruptive for the new dad
- Emphasized the tournament’s importance despite its location
- Highlighted the financial benefits for the club
“We must be careful with our expressions. Going to Arabia brings prestige because we’re playing for a title, and our club receives money for going there. We’d all like the fans to be there, but we have to be respectful,” Valverde explained.
New dad duties
Williams missed training on January 1st to attend the birth of his first child and spend time with his partner. He returned to Lezama on Friday to train and make himself available for selection.
According to reports, Valverde had already spoken privately with Williams about his comments before addressing the matter publicly – a proper chinwag behind closed doors before the press got involved.
With the Supercup approaching, Athletic will be hoping to put this storm in a teacup behind them and focus on competing for silverware, regardless of the postcode where they’re playing.