'Percy was mentally broken'

Head coach Hugo Broos has explained the absence of Al Ahly attacker Percy Tau in the latest Bafana Bafana squad.

South Africa is set to take on Andorra and Algeria in international friendlies to be towards the end of March as part of the preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers currently underway.

While Broos made as many as 10 changes in the latest quad from the 23 that secured a Bronze medal at the AFCON, most would have still expected that the reigning CAF interclub Player of the Year to keep his place in the team.

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However, speaking to SABC Sport during his quad announcement, Broos explained that the decision to drop Tau was in the attacker’s best interest after 'unfair' criticism of the continental competition.

"With Percy, Let's say first of all all, at the end of AFCON, Percy was mentally broken. Really broken," Broos said.

"So, I saw him and I talked to him and he said ‘no no there’s no problem coach,’ but I saw him, I knew there was a problem.

"So I called him two weeks later or one week later and we talked to each other and I said to him listen I will not call you up for the friendly games.

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"He said 'no I want to come,' I said no, you don't come. Stay there so that everything will be calm again because if you come for a friendly game and have a bad game it will start again (the criticism) so that's the reason why Percy is not with us. 

I don't want them to kill him him (overly criticise). It was enough after AFCON he will be ready again in June and I will see a fresh Percy Tau."

Bafana’s match against Andorra will be played on 21 March.

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