Bafana captaincy is not on Tau’s radar
“I prefer a supporting role, it works better for me as a senior player," said the Brighton attacking star.
Percy Tau isn’t keen on being Bafana captain. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images.
Percy Tau has said he would rather not wear the armband as Bafana Bafana captain, with South Africa yet to name their skipper for the friendly international against Uganda on June 10.
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Head coach Hugo Broos did not name regular Bafana captain Thulani Hlatshwayo in his squad to take on the Cranes, meaning there is a space open, and Tau, at 27, is one of the more senior players in the Bafana squad.
“The armband? I have never thought about it before and have never been a captain,” said Tau, at Hyundai headquarters in Johannesburg on Wednesday, where he was given a car to drive while he is back in South Africa.
“I prefer a supporting role, it works better for me as a senior player. We have so many captains on the pitch, let others use the armband. My arms are not so big for an armband!” quipped the diminutive attacking star, who indicated that perhaps goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, already the SuperSport United captain, should get the job ahead of him.
Tau did admit the latest Bafana squad appears to signify a bit of a changing of the guard, with many older players no longer there, and Broos promising to build a younger team.
“There is always this talk when a new coach comes in or when things didn’t go well (Bafana failed to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals. They change the squad and it is always the older ones that get chopped. But it is the coach’s decision. It is different … because there are guys who were with the national team many years, and to change it and bring in someone new as coach takes time. At least we have a friendly we can use to get together before the World Cup qualifiers.
“Most of the guys I have known for some time (are out of the Uganda squad). If you think of the experienced ones there is me and Ronwen (Williams), Keagan (Dolly) is also there and that’s it! Before there used to be Tyson (Hlatshwayo), Thulani (Serero), Andile (Jali). They would carry the responsibility … now it is our turn to lead. I think we will take on the responsibility well.”
