Broos had ‘face to face’ with Tau before excluding him

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says leaving Percy Tau out of the squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan was a tough decision. 

Broos also revealed he had a face-to-face meeting with the Al Ahly striker before omitting him to discuss his situation, where he appears to have fallen out of favour in Egypt.

In the absence of Tau, who is not getting enough game time for the Red Devils, Broos will rely on Oswin Appollis, Evidence Makgopa, Iqraam Rayners, Elias Mokwana and Relebohile Mofokeng for creativity and goals.

Last month, Broos also omitted Tau from the back-to-back Afcon qualifiers against Congo in Gqeberha (SA won 5-0) and Brazzaville (1-1). 

“I had a face-to-face meeting with Tau,” said Broos when he addressed the media on Monday, as the team prepared for Friday’s clash against group K leaders Uganda (10 points) in Kampala, where three points will secure a place in next year’s tournament in Morocco. 

If SA cannot beat Uganda, two draws or a win at home against last-placed team on zero points South Sudan at Cape Town Stadium on November 19 will be enough to progress. Bafana are in second place with eight points and Congo have four.

Broos said he was always faced with difficult choices when selecting the squad, as when he left out Mamelodi Sundowns’ centre-back Grant Kekana for Romania-based Siyabonga Ngezana, who is available after recovering from injury. 

“It is the same for all the players — it is the choice I have to make and my choices are much more difficult than two or three years ago. Sometimes I have to drop a player who I would like to keep with me but it is just not possible — I can only select 23 players.

“So even a player such as Percy, at the moment he is not playing for his team and it is a fact that when you are not playing you lose the feel and rhythm of the game. When you play at our level [of international football], with due respect, this is not the PSL [Premier Soccer League]. 

“You ask him [Evidence Makgopa, sitting next to Broos] how those games at Afcon were — those were tough and intense matches and when you don’t have the rhythm of the game it is difficult. Percy is a good player, but even for him it will be difficult to play a role we expect from him in this team.” 

Broos said he feels the need to shield Tau because South Africans expect a lot from him. 

“All the criticism he had in the past, I always protect him and still protect him. It is not honest because sometimes people ask too much from him. I feel that people are thinking when he is in the team he will score and it is not like that. It was a difficult choice but I have full confidence with the players that are here.”