Tau eager to continue good form
ONE of the things you hear about all the time in sports is that you are as good as your last game, and Bafana Bafana forward Percy Tau knows that very well.
So as he prepares to face Senegal on Friday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium (7pm) in Polokwane, Tau is remaining grounded after his man-of-the-match performance in the 3-1 win over Burkina Faso last month to ensure he is in a good frame of mind to deliver another good performance.
What is more, the 23-year-old has been picked in the 30-man list for the 2017 African Player of the Year award, which is Caf’s main individual award.
That list features top names like Manchester United and Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly and Senegal’s Sadio Mane, who will look to torment Bafana for the place in Russia next year.
Tau, too, will be eager to continue his form to prove to the continent that he is indeed a rising star, but first he has been reflecting on his nomination.
“It’s a proud moment. It’s a great honour to be shortlisted on the two awards.
“I’m in a space where I appreciate a lot of things. I’m still grounded, still working hard and I’m in a space where I see progress.
“I’m in a space where I see my name with the big players,” Tau, who has also been nominated for the African Player of the Year [based in Africa] accolade, said.
Tau is the only South African to get the nod for the main award, while there are players like his national teammate Dean Furman of SuperSport United for those based in Africa, as well as Dennis Onyango (Sundowns) and Jeremy Brockie (SuperSport).
For Tau, all eyes will be on him against Senegal, considering he was Bafana’s key player in the last match against Burkina Faso that revived the nation’s hopes of qualifying for the World Cup.
“It’s a crucial tie and a game that could determine our spot in the World Cup,” he said.
Tau may not be putting it in his own words, but he is definitely one of the players on which the nation is pinning its hopes on what has been dubbed by some as mission impossible.
Meanwhile, Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has asked to play with a mask against Senegal.
Khune saw a facial specialist yesterday morning, and it would appear that he did not get good news regarding his facial injury.
He fractured a bone in his face when Kaizer Chiefs beat Chippa United 1-0 in the Telkom Knockout quarterfinals at the weekend in Port Elizabeth.
Meanwhile‚ Sundowns midfielder Tiyani Mabunda is coming through to replace Hlompho Kekana‚ who has left camp due to a family bereavement.