The announcement last week that Percy Tau had left English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion to join Egyptian giants Al Ahly was met with mixed emotions.

Some, like Bafana Bafana’s all-time leading goal scorer and Uefa Champions League winner, Benni McCarthy, feel the former Mamelodi Sundowns attacker has taken a step back in his career.

“He’s got great vision, he’s got fantastic skills, good dribbling abilities and in front of goal, he’s pretty deadly,” McCarthy said at a press conference with the South African Football Journalists’ Association.

“So, I think, if he had just persevered and stuck to his guns, his opportunity would have come. He was playing in the best league in the world. Everywhere across the world people watch the Premier League. Whether you’re a starter or not, when you’re in the Premier League you don’t want to miss that opportunity and go somewhere else, because there isn’t a better league.”

McCarthy finished as the Premier League’s top goal scorer in the 2006/2007 season when he netted 18 goals for Blackburn Rovers. He said it was his belief that the talented Tau should have stayed and bided his time waiting for an opportunity.

“The fact that Tau has gone… I can only assume it was because he wanted to play and was growing frustrated at not playing at Brighton and not being in the side at times,” said the AmaZulu head coach.

“I can understand from that point of view, but I think when you are among the best in the world, you want to stay there, because that’s where you gain the most experience and when your opportunity comes you’re going to grab it with both hands.”

The general feeling is that Tau’s departure, although understandable from the personal perspective of someone who just wants to play football, will cast South African players in a bad light. They may be viewed as not resilient and headstrong enough to succeed in the big European leagues.

I just want to play

Tau, though, says his decision was not as black and white as people have made it seem.   

“Look, the move made more sense to me than staying in Europe,” Tau said after being announced as Bafana’s vice-captain behind Ronwen Williams for the side’s upcoming Fifa World Cup qualifiers.

“Of course, there were offers in Europe, I considered them, considered my age and all the other factors that I have not disclosed to you guys [the media],” continued Tau.

“What is the point of me sitting [in Brighton] when I am not playing? Everybody wants to see me play, I want to see myself play and my family wants to see me play. I know, of course, that people will always have opinions on such moves.”

That said, Tau is not merely joining any old African club. He has committed three years of his future, with an option to renew for one more year, to the record 10-time CAF Champions League winners — Al Ahly.

Moreover, he joins to work with fellow South Africans in the club’s head coach, Pitso Mosimane and his assistant, Cavin Johnson.

Until his departure for Brighton in 2018, the “Lion of Judah” was an integral part of Mosimane’s rampant side and also featured in Masandawana’s maiden Champions League final success in 2016.

Before that Sundowns success story came a loan move to then GladAfrica Championship side Witbank Spurs.    

“I have made such moves before. I went from Witbank Spurs to the academy of Mamelodi Sundowns when I was 17 years old. I went back to Spurs on loan. I [eventually] got to Brighton, though there was uncertainty regarding that move,” Tau told journalists.

“I went to [Belgian second division side] Union [Royale Union Saint-Gilloise] on loan, I went to Club Brugge… it is part of my career to move around. So, someone feels, ‘If you stay here, you will be okay.’ But I feel at that moment you do not know what I am going through.”

Weight of expectation

The weight of expectation from his compatriots might have also been too heavy on Tau’s shoulders. The attacker is undoubtedly the most important player in South African football at the moment. He is one of the first names on the Bafana team sheet.

With that in mind, there were expectations that he’d reach the heights that the likes of McCarthy, Steven Pienaar, who made more than 200 appearances over four spells with Premier League side Everton, and Leeds United legend Lucas Radebe, reached.

Unfortunately — considering that he is 27 years old — no matter how well he performs during his time at Al Ahly, another move to a European top-flight league is highly unlikely.

At Al Ahly he will be guaranteed many more minutes than he would have been granted in England. He is also likely to add substantially to his trophy haul.

Of course, there is also the risk that should results not be forthcoming for the reigning African champions in future, Mosimane will be shown the door. This might leave Tau in a precarious position as the current coach had a massive influence in seeing him heading to Cairo.

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos had also publicly supported Tau moving away from Brighton to play more.

“Percy Tau, I hope, I hope he can leave Brighton and that he can go to a [new] club,” said Broos a few weeks ago.

It is evident that whatever rebuilding Broos is aiming for during his time as the national team coach, Tau will be the centrepiece. DM