Pitso Mosimane believes that Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana attacker Percy Tau belongs in Europe, but admits that he isn’t ready to make the move yet.
Tau, who clinched the Player of the Month for December has been a breath of fresh air for both Masandawana and Bafana since his meteroic rise, however Mosimane has warned against him moving to Europe, citing his need to develop a bit more.
“I have been to the Club World Cup‚ played for Bafana Bafana and played in the Champions League‚” he told the media.
“And to be honest with you I don’t think it’s too bad [in the PSL]. I look at all the work that we do with the coach‚ and my teammates always agree with me – there is progress‚ and then you can always be better.
“I don’t know if Europe will always give me the opportunity. But being in South Africa‚ I think that I try‚ and with the coach there have been a lot of things that we have worked on a lot.
“And then we see a better Percy in those situations‚ even if football doesn’t always present all of those situations.
“I always tell him that we are a little bit behind schedule because I wish I could have him‚ the way he’s playing [now]‚ at 20‚” he added.
Moismane was quick to remind the media that he had said the same thing about former players Bongani Zungu and Keagan Dolly prior to their moves to Vitoria Guimaraes and Montpellier respectively.
“But it’s never too late. He deserves to play football in Europe. But you know me‚ I’m always conservative.
“Last time I said‚ and you guys [the media] wrote about it‚ that Keagan (Dolly‚ who left Sundowns for Montpellier a year ago) needed one more year.
“I remember‚ I think it was Farouk Khan on TV‚ saying‚ ‘He’s ready – he should go.
“But I still think I was right. Because he’s a really good football player [but] I needed to work with him one more year to clean up a few things.
“And as much as we all want Percy to go to Europe‚ we also know that there’s a few things we need to clean up‚ a little bit.
“And then let them go to top leagues. Let’s have a player in La Liga or Bundesliga,” he concluded.
Photo: Backpagepix
-This story originally appeared on SportsClub.co.za
