Percy Tau’s Bafana Bafana call-up is long overdue‚ and while Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane was reluctant to push his player’s case too strongly‚ he did say the explosive forward could bring a destructive dimension to the national team.

With a new coach being headhunted currently by the Safa‚ Mosimane at first said it would be unfair on any new man for club coaches to push their players at him.

Speaking as Caf Champions League winners Downs were preparing for their Caf Super Cup match against Confederation Cup winners TP Mazembe at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday‚ Mosimane did admit that Tau had now banged down the door to be in the national team.

“You know sometimes I said that about someone like Tiyani Mabunda and everybody was against me‚ saying I was choosing players for the national team‚” Sundowns’ coach said.

“I was contesting for Hlompo Kekana. But it’s good because Kekana scored‚ and Mabunda did well. But I think we should give the new coach an opportunity to choose these players. The last thing he needs when he comes is that‚

‘Ah there’s a guy at Sundowns called Pitso pushing this player and that player’.”

Pointed out that Safa president Danny Jordaan has been punting Tau for the national team‚ Mosimane responded:

“I missed that‚ I didn’t know that. Very good.

“But do you want him there? Do you think Percy must play for Bafana?

“I don’t think we have a player for Bafana who’s brave like that‚ who causes problems like that. He’s like a dog off a leash – he just runs everywhere. That’s Percy.

“We need somebody who’s fearless. Percy’s forever one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Against Chiefs‚ Pirates and Arrows he had one-on-ones with the keepers. We need that in the national team.

“But if it’s a local Bafana coach‚ he knows what Percy can do. And we’re struggling for goals by the way.”

Former Bafana coach Mosimane was asked of the prospect of Tau and Bidvest Wits’ pacey prodigy Phakamani Mahlambi at the national team.

“Ah unbelievable‚” he responded. “Those are the players. You need the speed – they are quick‚ they are good.

“Unless we want a player who plays with his back to goal. The one who comes up there‚ flicks‚ blocks. I think we’ve had some of those guys and we never won.

“So maybe change it. You see Barcelona with Neymar‚ Lionel Messi‚ Luis Suarez.”

Tau was among big names rested by Sundowns in their midweek 1-1 PSL draw against Chippa United in East London.

Mosimane expects his big-match-temperament stars to rise to the occasion against Democratic Republic of Congo giants Mazembe.

“You must also understand that Percy is a little bit emotional. When you put too much spotlight on him sometimes he wants to dribble a lot and forgets about scoring.” Mosimane said.

“It’s not only him. Let the big boys come up – Khama Billiat‚ Anthony Laffor. You know Anthony‚ he rises to the big occasion.

“That’s why I said‚ ‘Let him have a rest against Chippa‚ I know he won’t be interested’.

“I said‚ ‘You‚ for the final – come to the final my boy’. So I let him rest‚ but also because he’s no longer young and four games in a row is not good. I rested Kekana.

“I made nine changes against Chippa‚ but we did not do badly – we could have won.”

TMG Digital