Bafana coach advises Tau to join a better European club

Stuart Baxter has hinted that Percy Tau could do with moving from the Belgian second division to a better club in Europe, even though his scintillating double took Bafana Bafana to the 2019 Africa Cup of Natons this weekend.

Tau has been in sparkling form for his country for some time, netting four goals in total in 2019 Afcon qualifying, on top of a brilliant assist against Nigeria in Durban.

His second-half display against Libya on Sunday was spectacular, with two wonderful strikes, with either foot, giving every indication that the 24 year-old has benefited greatly from a move to Union St-Gilloise.

READ: Baxter remains cagey about his future with Bafana

Baxter, however, put the improvement more down to the confidence of playing in Europe than the standard of play in the Belgian second division.

“It is easy to get intoxicated, but we do need to look at the development of Percy. He has been an important player for us for some time,” said Baxter.

“In the first half (against Libya) he was not clear in his mind when he was getting on the ball, he was wanting to do a lot of things, we wanted Percy to be a bit sharper. We spoke about shooting around defenders, we identified this at the World Cup as a trend. We asked Percy at half-time to make sure he was quicker in his decision making, saying it is okay if you get the shot away and miss the target, but don’t be in two minds.

“He has got better since he went to Belgium, but I think it is a confidence thing, I don’t think there is better coaching or matches in the Belgian second division. It is not like he is playing for Barcelona … he needs to make another step and I am sure he will.”

Tau is actually on loan at Union St-Gilloise from English Premier League side Brighton, but his chances of playing in the Premier League look slim given the UK’s current rules on work permits.

Baxter, meanwhile, also praised Lebo Mothiba, Tau’s strike partner against Libya.

“In the second half Percy was very lively, but we also played better,” said Baxter.

“We opened the field up and got balls into Lebo and him. Lebo Mothiba is a monster to play against, he was knocking their players over, they were grabbing him by the neck. If the referee was anything like (he should have been) we would have had some dangerous set-plays … the more he and Percy poured forward the more they hurt them.”

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