Bafana star Percy Tau leaves door for Europe return wide open

Percy Tau’s European door is still very much open. 

He is currently enjoying possibly the best football of his career at Egyptian giants Al Ahly under Swiss coach Marcel Koller. The 29-year-old Tau has reignited discussions of a possible return to Europe. 

Speaking ahead of Bafana Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against a star-studded Morocco at FNB Stadium on Saturday (5pm), Tau said he is willing to go back to Europe if an opportunity presents itself. 

Tau tasted top-flight European football with RSC Anderlecht and Club Brugge KV in Belgium and Brighton & Hove Albion in England before he returned to the continent to play for Al Ahly. 

“Whenever I am playing well, there will always be talks of a European move but I will always take the opportunity to go back to Europe if it becomes available. At the moment I am still at Al Ahly.” 

Tau ended their Champions League-winning campaign with five goals and assists after 12 matches as he returned to good form after struggling with injuries. 

“When the coach (Marcel Koller) came in, I was injured and we did not spend much time together. When I started doing my rehabilitation and being on the pitch, we started talking because he wanted to know me as a person. 

“He put me on a special programme to avoid coming back too early and also coming back too late.” 

When he started to play, Tau said Koller realised he could play in a number of positions. 

“He started me as a striker and as a number ten in some games and he realised that I am able to play multiple positions in the team and he chose that I will spend most of the time on the side and I was OK with that. 

“He started seeing the hard work that I put into the game and that it could be of use to him.” 

Looking ahead of the clash against Morocco, Tau said they will not be taking the foot off the pedal because they have already qualified. 

“We need to progress as a team, this is one thing that we always wanted to do. This is a good test for us, we lost to them away where we suffered but also there were good things that we came back with. 

“We are playing at home, it is not just a game of two teams that have qualified but we want to make South Africa proud. People are coming out to support us and we want to give a good fight.”