Mamelodi Sundowns’ highly talented and explosive forward, Percy ‘The Genius’ Tau, was the big winner after sweeping the boards at the Premier Soccer League (PSL) awards.
Though his stylish attacking performances earned him rave reviews this season, Tau will not be part of the team that will seek to defend their Absa Premiership title next season.
Tau, whose surname means ‘lion’ in his home language of Sesotho, dominated the awards as he also walked away with the coveted 2017/18 PSL Footballer of the Season award.
Besides being the joint Top Goal Scorer of the Season along with Polokwane City marksman Rodney Ramagalela, Tau also scooped the Players’ Player of the Season award.
The domineering lion’s coach Pitso Mosimane, who also picked up the Coach of the Season after guiding his men to the 2017/18 Absa Premiership championship, said at the awards that he was preparing for life without his prodigy.
“Tau will be lost to Sundowns next season,” said Mosimane.
“He has scored his last goal for us. After his explosive and faultless performance, it was no surprise that calls started ringing in our offices from abroad. There are currently serious negotiations on his future. He may not have scored against FC Barcelona when they came here for the Madiba Cup but you all saw what he’s made off.
“No one in his right mind would not want this talent to grace his squad,” Mosimane added without naming the clubs that have shown interest in the services of 24-year-old football genius from the Free State.
Soon after receiving his awards, Tau refused to talk about his football future save to say he was blessed to have been honoured with the various accolades.
“This is all due to my teammates and coach, without whom I would not have shined on the various soccer pitches that I have played on the whole season,” he said.
“To our supporters, Masandawana, you rock and please stay solid behind the team even through thick and thin. You form the 12th men in our games and that always inspires us to achieve and even do more.”
Other winners of the day included Siphesihle Ndlovu, the Maritzburg United youngster who was also nominated together with Tau for Footballer of the Season and Absa Premiership Players’ Player of the Season, but took the Absa Premiership Young Player of the Season and Absa Premiership Midfielder of the Season awards.
The Absa-lutely Awesome Goal of the Season, as voted by members of the public, went to Lamontville Golden Arrows, Siphelele Magubane.
SuperSport United and Bafana Bafana keeper, Ronwen Williams took the MTN8 Last Man Standing Prize for his performances during the MTN8 competition that was won by his club, SuperSport United.
Egyptian and former Bidvest Wits striker Amr Gamal returned to South Africa to attend the awards and collected the Telkom Knockout Player of the Tournament while Lebogang Maboe took both Nedbank Cup Most Improved Player of the Tournament and Player of the Tournament.
