Percy Tau of Club Brugge during the Europa League round of 32 second leg match against Manchester United at Old Trafford on 27 February 2020.
James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images
- Playing in Belgium meant having to suddenly learn a foreign language, says Percy Tau.
- Constant competition among team-mates was prevalent and there was no “family” atmosphere.
- “They are not here to babysit you,” the Bafana Bafana star says.
Star Bafana Bafana forward Percy Tau revealed how tough, cut-throat and sometimes humorous his journey overseas has been since he signed for English club Brighton & Hove Albion, who loaned him out in the past two years.
Tau went to Belgium second tier side Royale Union Saint Gilloise immediately after signing for Brighton, where he had trouble understanding the coach’s instructions because he was one of only two non-French speaking players in the team.
The coach would have to conduct two team talks at times, he told Teko Modise during a Puma South Africa Instagram Live chat, one in French and the other in English. But in no time the coach got exhausted by the exercise and ordered the English-speaking pair to attend French lessons.
“Everyone in the team spoke French and I didn’t know the language – I only know English, isiZulu and SePedi,” Tau said, partly laughing at the idea of having to understand French for the first time.
“It was difficult for the coach when he wanted to send information because there were only two of us who spoke English.
“Every time he gave a talk he would have to stop and switch languages, and at some point we had two meetings, one where he spoke to the French players and the English-speaking players afterwards.
“But it killed our game plan because there was no time for all that. Sometimes he’d say, ‘I don’t care, you guys will have to catch up’. Eventually, we went for French lessons and it was difficult for a Pedi guy like me to go learn French. I wasted their money.”
Tau said he didn’t care that Brighton loaned him out right away and that he knew he was going on loan when he signed for the club – he just wanted to play overseas.
But that dream came at a cost. He said players going to play where he’s been – Saint Gulloise and Club Brugge – should not expect to be mollycoddled once they get there.
Each player looked out for themselves and there wasn’t a family environment, such as the one he had experienced during his successful time at Mamelodi Sundowns, with whom he won the CAF Champions League in 2016.
“If you’re there expecting a family, you’re not going to get it,” the 26-year-old said.
“You’re alone and the people you’re around are not going to help you. They are not here to babysit you. Everyone is here to either move to the next step, to a bigger club or, if they stay, get a better contract.
“You have to be very confident. If you’re too humble you’ll lose out. It’s a jungle whereby we compete on anything. Even when practicing finishing, we will be competing.
“If we are doing a ‘Tissue Challenge’, it’s a competition. Anything you do, you’re competing and if your confidence dips, they will be on your case every day.
“The first time I spoke to Benni (McCarthy), that was one thing he was critical of. ‘Your (low) confidence overseas is not going to help you,’ he told me.
“When I spoke to Kermit Erasmus at the national team, he said I shouldn’t think about things too much if I’m going to play in the (UEFA) Champions League; I must just score.
“It all boils down to confidence. If you’re confident, you win. I sent Lyle Foster the same advice, that he needed to be confident and believe in himself.”
Tau, who won the Belgian Jupiler Pro League with Brugge in the season interrupted by Covid-19, said it could be some time before he made an appearance for his parent club in the English Premier League because of travel restrictions.
However, he said he was in constant communication with Brighton, who monitored his training and fitness levels constantly.
– Compiled by Sibusiso Mjikeliso
