Percy Tau believes it’s the perfect time for him to make his Afcon debut.
The former PSL Footballer of the Year is full of confidence after a promising first season in European football.
Having been named the best player in Belgium’s second division following a season-long loan from Premier League club Brighton, the striker believes he has matured as a player.
He reckons that will give him an edge when he takes the field in his first group-stage match against Ivory Coast on June 24.
And he expects his teammates to show what they can do too.
He says: “This Afcon is huge for everyone. Luckily for me it comes at a time when I am 25. For Lebo Mothiba he is 23 so it’s actually good for a lot of guys and will be a first time for many guys.
“It’s good for the nation that we are able to go there and compete.”
The swashbuckling attacker insists he won’t change his style of play at the tournament.
He adds: “There’s so much to achieve and to get out of football and life, and luckily enough I think I am on the right path because I haven’t suffered a lot of injuries.
“That puts me in the right position in order to grow and actually get better.”
Coach Stuart Baxter believes his manne can put on a good show in Egypt and prove that South African football is on the up.
The Scot says: “I hope that we can do something in Afcon that will make people believe that our football is moving in the right direction.
“For me, the pressure is there all the time, it’s not just there because someone says that we need to make the nation happy."