For the explosive talent of Percy Tau‚ the rise from Mamelodi Sundowns’ youth structures‚ via a loan to Witbank Spurs‚ to the first team and now a Caf Champions League final is all being taken in his stride.

The Champions League has been 22-year-old Tau’s platform to announce his arrival in SA football.

Called back to Downs by coach Pitso Mosimane from Spurs – where Tau only played 11 games in the First Division last season – the player was added to Downs’ Caf squad‚ which had been left thin by contractual issues to a number of players. Sundowns had been surprised by their recall to the competition after AS Vita’s expulsion for fielding an ineligible player.

Tau made substitutes’ appearances in the home and away wins against Zamalek‚ and a start in the final 3-1 group defeat against Enyimba.

He had impressed enough that when Leonardo Castro was injured for the semifinal against Zesco United Tau started in the 2-1 first leg defeat in Ndola‚ Zambia‚ where he found excellent spaces but missed chances.

He started again in Atteridegville‚ burying a beautiful header to make the score 3-2 on aggregate and ensure Downs’ place in the mid-October final against Zamalek.

“I’ll only judge myself after the season‚ looking back. Right now for me it’s to keep on going‚ and we’ll see‚” Tau said‚ playing down the hype and rave reviews he’s been receiving.

“It’s difficult. Especially to make a statement with the group that we have – we have the‚ really‚ best players‚ in my opinion.

“So you can’t just make a statement to say‚ ‘I think I’ll be in the team right now’. It’s just to keep going and give the coach the respect that he deserves – and if he makes a change‚ he makes a change.”

Tau has relished the knowledge gained from meeting giants of African football with contrasting styles and technical approaches.

“I think it’s very important for me as a young player to play in the Champions League‚” he said.

“Because you meet teams that play differently. You meet Zesco who play a very dynamic football whereby four players pressurise your back four‚ and they only have two central midfielders‚ and push their full-backs high.

“So for us it’s to adapt to that gameplan. And then you meet Zamalek who play differently again‚ and with the ball.

“It’s important for young players to experience these things at international level at an early age so that you know what to expect whenever you play those teams or their national teams.

“There is responsibility on every player in Sundowns. It happens that I’m always just in the group‚ not as a young player‚ but just in the team.

“They don’t exclude me by saying‚ 'You’re young'‚ or‚ 'Let’s judge you this way'. It’s all about the team.

“It’s good to have that expectation from people‚ because it says to me‚ ‘Percy you need to do more‚ you need to work harder. You need to be more smart‚ work on your finishing‚ to train'. Wow.”

After the chances spurned in Ndola‚ Tau was determined to do better in the second leg.

“I spoke to the coach before the match and he told me that I need to work on my finishing. And I spoke to some of the guys who said to me‚ ‘You need to score’.

“And in the game Tebogo Langerman played a very beautiful ball and it just needed me to finish it. I was lucky to be in a good position to do that.

“But all the credit must got to ‘Langers’ for that beautiful ball. For anybody to get into that position and look up and see the pass‚ shows they are a very good player.” - TMG Sport