I’m feeling the spirit bafethu!
I’m in the mood to reach out to the inner preacher inside and drop some knowledge. Can I get an Amen?
I came across a quote in my notes that says: “If only someone would’ve told me that you will be able to make up the time lost in your early years, later in your life.”
I don’t know where I got it from, but I’m quite sure it’s from a blog on the internet somewhere.
The route to success is not as straightforward as it should be, especially for a Southern African player. Ask Percy Tau.
Tau is undoubtedly South Africa’s go-to guy for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
But somehow this guy flew under the radar of national youth football selectors.
In fact, an article titled, “How Percy Tau went from slacker to superstar at Mamelodi Sundowns” by fellow writer, Mazola Molefe highlight this.
Current Orlando Pirates assistant coach Rhulani Mokwena, whom Tau credits for much of his rise to success, says in the article that when he was roped into the Sundowns U19 team, he immediately reached out to then- Amajita head coach Solly Luvhengo after seeing the Bafana star and another player Roscoe McKenzie.
You might have a tough time to find out about McKenzie’s whereabouts now, but Mokwena explained in the article that Tau was part of a group of players that were not good enough to be promoted to the ABC Motsepe League team by coach Floyd Mogale.
Mokwena said: “Percy was in fact on the list of players to be released by Sundowns at that time. I was really taken aback in my first training session by Percy and another player, Roscoe McKenzie.
“My first statement to them was actually a question and I asked whether they had ever played for any of the junior national teams.
“The answer was that they had never been given the opportunity.
“I immediately gave the national U20 coach a call to ask that he check them out.
“[Solly Luvhengo’s] first reaction was that he was not convinced, but he would thank me later.
“And the rest is history.”
BELIEVER: Rhulani Mokwena, left. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix.
It’s hard to believe that he only got a real call-up following his unforgettable performances in Mamelodi Sundowns’ CAF Champions League run to glory in 2016.
Even then, incoming Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter didn’t think Tau had it in him to help the team win and the attacker watched from the bench as Cape Verde destroyed Bafana and their chances to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Now my people, this is very important and I need every person, footballer, young and old, parents and fans, to feel me on this as I break it down even further.
A guy like Tau watched as many of his peers got called up to the various youth national teams.
And it couldn’t be easy for him.
But he was young when all of this was happening, many of the guys that were picked for national teams ahead of him back then are nowhere near the Bafana coach’s radar right now.
Tau is not only the man to watch at the upcoming Afcon, but his Player of the Season performances in the Belgian outfit Royale Union Saint-Gilloise might be enough to convince English authorities that he is good enough and approve his visa so he can play in the Premier League for his club Brighton and Hove Albion next season.
This is how quickly things change, mfowethu.
So I’m gonna leave you with one last quote related to this, unfortunately it’s another one I picked up on the crazy internet streets: “Your formative years are crazy times. It’s the time to make crucial decisions.”