'Tau needs six months without competitive football' – South Africa coach Broos

The Bafana Bafana striker is set to miss forthcoming international friendlies owing to an injury sustained in recent club engagement

South Africa head coach Hugo Broos believes a six-month break would help Percy Tau fully recover from his consistent injury problems.

His latest setback was in Al Ahly’s recent Caf Champions League assignment away to Al Merrikh, where his team won 3-1 with the 27-year-old scoring the first goal. Taher Mohamed replaced Tau in the second half.

The forward has been experiencing muscle injuries while representing club and country, and Broos has suggested a solution for him.

“It is a problem, what I said, Percy is already eight months injured, maybe I am exaggerating but it’s not a surprise. In June with the transfer to Ahly he didn’t train so much, he didn’t play so much,” the 69-year-old said as quoted by .

“Then he played two games, Zimbabwe and Ghana, injury, then he started with Ahly, injury. So I think for Percy it will be good that he trains for six months and not play because his physical basics are not good.

“Every time he plays he’s overloaded and gets injuries, what we see with the players of [Mamelodi] Sundowns and [Orlando] Pirates because the program is so overloaded, they get injuries, this is something normal and this is what happened with Percy.

“His basics are not good, he’s playing too many games and doesn’t have the physical opportunities to do that and he’s falling from injury to injury.”

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Tau will not be involved as Bafana Bafana play Guinea’s National Elephants in Belgium on Friday and world champions France in Lille on Tuesday in international friendlies.

He has since been replaced by Royal AM star Victor Letsoalo in the Broos’ squad.

The upcoming friendlies would be the first time Bafana return to action since their 2022 Fifa World Cup hopes were upset by Ghana in November 2021.

South Africa squad

Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams (SuperSport), Brandon Petersen (Kaizer Chiefs), Bruce Bvuma (Kaizer Chiefs), and Veli Mothwa (AmaZulu).

Defenders: Nyiko Mobbie (Sekhukhune United), Terrence Mashego (Cape Town City), Siyanda Xulu (unattached), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Golden Arrows), Veluyeke Zulu (Chippa), Rushine De Reuck (Mamelodi Sundowns), Lyle Lakay (Mamelodi Sundowns), Khuliso Mudau (Mamelodi Sundowns), Rivaldo Coetzee (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bandile Shandu (Orlando Pirates), and Athenkosi Mcaba (Stellenbosch).

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Midfielders: Sbonelo Cele (Golden Arrows), Pule Mmodi (Golden Arrows), Ethan Brooks (TS Galaxy), Keagan Dolly (Kaizer Chiefs), Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Goodman Mosele (Orlando Pirates), and Thabang Monare (Orlando Pirates).

Strikers: Evidence Makgopa (Baroka), Victor Letsoalo (Royal AM), Mduduzi Mdantsane (Cape Town City), Fagrie Lakay (Pyramids), Victor Letsoalo (Royal AM), Lyle Foster (Westerlo), and Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Minnesota).