9 October 2018 – Bafana Bafana striker Percy Tau has opened up to the media arguing that being loaned to Belgium Second tier side Royale-Union Saint Gilloise was all not doom and gloom.

After being transferred to English Premiership side Brighton and Hove Albion this current season, the South African reigning player of the year was off-loaded to the Belgium second tier side and will revert back to English side at the end of the season. And Tau sees the brighter side of all this.

He said he was enjoying life in Belgium and on top of that Saint Gilloise was doing well.

“All is well in Belgium. We are on top of the log at the moment. We have had good performances in the cup and league and I believe that we are beginning to get stronger as a team,” he said.

Tau is least worried about people’s opinions.

“People will always have opinions on things and they are entitled to that. I am happy with this path I have chosen (agreeing to go on loan to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise) because I have done it before and things worked out in my favour. I once went out on loan to Witbank Spurs and things worked out pretty well for me later on,” he asserted adding the recent move was a strategic and wise one.

The diminutive striker who is expected to lead the Bafana Bafana strike force in Saturday’s AFCON qualifier against Seychelles said it was too early to read anything in AFCON 2019 matches so far.

“We still have about four matches remaining to be played. We are second on the log as we speak. The only thing that is left for us to do is win our remaining matches. And that is what this team wants. We want to qualify for next year’s AFCON. We have what it takes to qualify,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter said nerves, anxiety and complacency are normally what affect the team’s intensity during games.

“If you manage those things well, then you will be able to get the kind of performance you are looking for in game situations. You have got to keep on working on it though,” Baxter said.

He said he was happy with the vast talent in the squad adding most of the players were young and had many years in the future.

“We are now pushing for more younger and exciting players as compared to the more established ones,” he said adding that it would be folly to underestimate Seychelles by virtue of their lower ranking.

“We are not going to underestimate our opponents because we have done it many times before in the past. We want to approach the matches in a professional manner and make sure that we do well.”

Bafana Bafana play Supersport United in a practise match on Wednesday as part of the preparations for Saturday’s AFCON qualifier. The Bafana Bafana/Seychelles game kicks off at 15h00 at FNB Stadium.