Bafana Bafana’s head coach, Hugo Broos, has cautioned South African fans not to place unrealistic expectations on Al Ahly’s star Percy Tau.
Tau was heavily criticized for his performances at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the Ivory Coast, even though the Bafana Bafana exceeded expectations by taking home a bronze medal.
The Al Ahly attacker missed a penalty in the opening match against Mali but he made amends by successfully scoring a spot-kick against Namibia; however, still players like Teboho Mokoena and Themba Zwane outshone him at the AFCON.
In defense of Percy Tau, the Belgian manager stressed that while he is undoubtedly talented, fans should not expect him to decide games like Mohamed Salah or Osimhen single-handedly.
Broos has also urged recognition of Tau’s strengths without burdening him with unrealistic demands.
“Percy is a very good player. But all South Africans think he’s a man who can decide the game. He cannot decide the game,” Bross said.
“When Percy plays with full confidence the level of the South African team is high because he’s a good player. But he will not be the player who decides the game. He’s, for example, not Salah from Egypt. He’s not Osimhen from Nigeria. He’s not that sort of player.
“A good Percy just puts the level [of Bafana] higher when he plays for Bafana. And when he’s not in good shape everyone says ‘Look how is Percy’. Ok, but for me I still have confidence in Percy. I know he can bring us a level higher.
“But you need to judge him fairly, but that in South Africa doesn’t happen. They want miracles from him. Percy can’t give you miracles, he can’t,” Broos concluded.
Despite criticism, Tau’s talent has been recognized on the continental stage, winning the Interclub Player of the Year at the 2023 CAF Awards last year.
His stellar performances for the Egyptian giants Al Ahly, including top goal contributions in the CAF Champions League, helped the club win the title last season.