Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is concerned star attacker Percy Tau may not be ready for the crucial 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers starting in June, after the Al Ahly attacker withdrew injured from the squad to meet Guinea and France.
Broos expressed concern that Tau’s injuries, that also affected the ex-Mamelodi Sundowns star in last year’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers, might “become a bit of a problem”.
SA assembled on Sunday and leave on Monday evening to train in Paris for their friendlies against Guinea in Brussels on Friday night, then world champions France in Lille next on Tuesday, March 29.
Broos was pleased that after some injury scares he was able to leave with all 23 players from his final squad named last week, except Tau, who has been replaced by Royal AM striker Victor Letsoalo.
“It’s been a stressful two weeks because of injuries and visa problems,” the coach said ahead of Bafana’s training session at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Monday.
Thibang Phete, Brandon Petersen, and Rivaldo Coetzee were among players who withdrew from Broos’s preliminary 32-man squad.
He went to Al Ahly and then he was injured for the two games against Ethiopia. Because of that injury in the two last games against Ghana and Zimbabwe he was not 100%. Now he’s injured again. I hope one day it will stop with him.
— Hugo Broos
Orlando Pirates star Thabang Monare came into camp with an injury, and seems doubtful for the Guinea game, but may be available for the France encounter.
“I panicked a bit because these two friendly games are important for me, and the players,” Broos said. “I was happy after the screening by the doctor that I have the 23 players I wanted from the beginning, except Percy. He’s injured again. It’s becoming a little bit of a problem with Percy. Since I’ve been here, he had his problems with his transfer to Al Ahly [from Brighton], so he wasn’t ready for the two World Cup qualifying games against Zimbabwe and Ghana, where Tau played not entirely fit.
“He went to Al Ahly and then he was injured for the two games against Ethiopia. Because of that injury in the two last games against Ghana and Zimbabwe he was not 100%. Now he’s injured again. I hope one day it will stop with him. He’s an important player for us. But I’m also a bit afraid if it goes on, we will have problem with Percy for June. Again he will be out for weeks with a knee problem, so that is not good for us.”
Sundowns players Mothobi Mvala and Khuliso Mudau have recovered from injuries.
Broos said Tau’s on-and-off injuries — he returned from a lengthy layoff for Ahly last month — are a concern. “Percy has been injured — and I’m exaggerating now — for the last eight months,” the coach said. “ I think it would be good for Percy if he trains for six months and doesn't play. His basic physical health is not good. I think every time he plays he's overloaded and he gets injuries.
“You see it with Sundowns’ players, they are overloaded [with matches due to competing in the Caf Champions League]. Percy is playing too many games and doesn’t have the physical standing to do that, and he’s going from injury to injury.”
Guinea, unlike SA, participated at the Covid-19-delayed 2021 Nations Cup in Cameroon in January and February, exiting 1-0 in the last-16 against Gambia.
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