A family member of Inaki Williams has revealed that former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Kwesi Nyantakyi was involved in the striker’s decision to play for the Black Stars.
Williams announced on Tuesday that he will play for Ghana, much to the delight of Ghanaian football fans.
The 28-year-old, born in Bilbao to Ghanaian parents, has played for Spain’s Under-21 team and made one senior team appearance in a friendly against Bosnia in 2016.
In an interview with Onua Sports, Inaki’s uncle Richard Ahenkorah revealed that Nyantakyi had begun the process of bringing Athletic Bilbao forward to represent Ghana. He stated that Nyantakyi first contacted Inaki in 2015.
“Former GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi began the process of convincing Inaki to switch to play for Ghana in 2015. We paused at one point for the player to reflect,” Ahenkorah said.
“Kurt Okraku [current GFA president] played a key role and has done a good job. I call him honourable, there is one thing about Kurt, he’s a goal-getter.
“Inaki is very good on the wings, very pacy and potent up front as well. I believe his addition to the Black Stars will be very helpful. He’s very disciplined, though he lives in Spain, his core values are of Ghanaian origin.
“Inaki is a very focused guy. So his decision to switch to play for Ghana is not a half-baked one. He’s coming to give his all.”
“Already I told Inaki that in Ghana we have 30 million coaches and must be ready to stand by his decision. I know he is used to the pressure in football,” he added.
The move gives Ghana a boost ahead of this year’s World Cup in Qatar, where they are grouped with Portugal, Uruguay, and South Korea. The tournament begins on November 21.
