undefined

Nico Williams: “It’s an honour to be at Athletic Club”

Nico Williams: “It’s an honour to be at Athletic Club”

The Athletic forward, in his first full season with the senior squad, said he wants ‘to work hard and give everything for the team”.

Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, 19, held his first ever media press conference as a member of the senior squad ahead of Friday’s LaLiga Santander clash against Deportivo Alavés in Bilbao (21:00 CEST).

Williams made his debut under Marcelino last season, coming on as a substitute against Real Valladolid on Matchday 33. He has been involved in every fixture so far this campaign and made a first LaLiga start in the Matchday 6 fixture against Rayo Vallecano at San Mamés.

Nico, younger brother of fellow Lion Iñaki Williams, said it was an “honour” to be part of the first-team dynamic and expressed gratitude towards all those who helped him achieve his “dream” of making his Athletic debut.

“It’s true sometimes it’s difficult to manage this situation at 19 years old, but I’m doing it with a lot of hard work, enthusiasm and sacrifice,” Nico said at his press conference in Lezama.

“My goal is to work and give everything for the team. For me it’s an honour to be at Athletic.

“I’ve already fulfilled the dream of making my top-flight debut. The second was to play with my big brother. Now the target is to carry on here for as many years as possible.”

The winger has made a total of nine appearances since his debut. Nico said he is happy with the progress he is making at the top level, but is fully aware that he needs to keep improving.

“I’ve got a long way to go, I’ve only played nine games in the First Division,” he said. “But I’m very happy with the opportunities the coach is giving me and I’m grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way.”

When asked about exactly what Marcelino expects of him from a tactical point of view, Nico replied: “The coach wants me to get into the box as much as possible, to get into goalscoring situations. He tells me to take my time and make the most of my qualities. I’m a very fast player, but I sometimes I need to pause and take a second.”

Nico said that Iñaki, who just equalled the LaLiga record for most consecutive appearances, has been a crucial part of his development as a player and a major inspiration in general.

“My brother always tries to help me as much as he can,” Nico added. “Together with my parents, he has instilled in me all the values needed to get to here.

“The rest of the squad has also helped me. I feel really comfortable and you can see the team is one big family.”