JOHANNESBURG – Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane says as far as he is concerned, it is a foregone conclusion that striker Percy Tau is this season’s Footballer of the Year.
“I need names of anyone else that’s better and I need them now,” he said on a night when Tau again scored for the Brazilians and took his tally to nine goals, just one behind leading Rodney Ramagalela in the race for the Golden Boot.
“He is an unbelievable player. I am waiting to see who is going to challenge Percy for Footballer of the Year or Player’s Player of the Year. I am waiting.
“There are eight games to go. Who is challenging Percy Tau? He must take everything. And he is scoring goals, and he is assisting.
“No, he must get everything. He deserved it. What a brave youngster. He just shows that talent alone is not enough.
“You must back talent, run, play, force and must be brave. A player like this in South Africa we have not seen for a long time. He is unbelievable.”
Asked if there was perhaps an over-reliance on Tau, who has also taken over the same role for Bafana Bafana in recent times, Mosimane said every top team had its talisman.
“For me it’s like Real Madrid’s over-reliance on Cristiano Ronaldo or Barcelona on Lionel Messi and Spurs relying on Harry Kane. It’s what you see and what you have. The boy is scoring goals,” the Sundowns coach explained.
“He is more on a winger and he forces his way in. He is taking it on his shoulders. It shows he is a leader and performs week in and week out. It says to me that maybe the boy is the future captain of Sundowns.”