Lyle Foster has shown SA can still produce players for the top level: Percy Tau

Bafana Bafana vice-captain Percy Tau says Lyle Foster’s impressive start to life in the English Premier League (EPL) with newcomers Burnley shows South Africa can still produce players fit for top-class European leagues.

Foster, 23, has scored two goals in three matches against Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur and Al Ahly forward Tau, who had an unsuccessful spell with Brighton & Hove Albion, said the former Orlando Pirates striker is on the right track. 

“Lyle is my boy and I spent three hours with him in Belgium just talking and sharing my experiences with him. I am proud to see him do so well, I feel like he deserves to be in that space,” Tau said.

“It is a good platform to show them in Europe that we still have the quality to play in the EPL. He must just keep growing and learning. He also has [Burnley manager] Vincent Kompany there with him and hopefully they will make a great relationship. I am proud of him and I just want to see him keep growing.” 

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos must feel like a kid in a candy shop surveying the stocks in his attacking department ahead of the international friendly matches against Namibia on Saturday (3pm) and Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday (5pm), both at Orlando Stadium. 

His leading attackers — Tau, Foster, Zakhele Lepasa (Orlando Pirates), Lebogang Mothiba (Strasbourg, France) and Mihlali Mayambela (Aris Limassol, Cyprus) — have all been in good form. 

Tau said it bodes well for Broos and Bafana with the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in November and Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ivory Coast in January and February fast approaching. 

“We need these players to come to the national team confident so we don’t go into any game lacking in confidence,” Tau said on Thursday. 

“We need these players to be doing well for their teams so that they will help us [Bafana] win games for the national team.

“In the past, that was the secret for Bafana — even before the [hosting of the 2010] World Cup, most of the players were doing well abroad.” 

Broos has recalled Mothiba to the national team and Tau said the big France-based striker’s return will increase competition. 

“We haven’t seen Lebo in a long time and we missed him. I am happy he is doing well but it is not only him, Zakhele and the others are also doing well. 

“It is good to have that competition up front so we can get the goals but to find out which combinations work better leading up to Nations Cup and the World Cup qualifiers. 

“We have that time now to try to work together and see what works for all the players.”