Bafana Bafana forward Percy Tau is set to make his debut at a major international tournament and says his Mamelodi Sundowns experience counts in his favour.
Tau is part of the provisional Africa Cup of Nations squad currently preparing in Johannesburg for the showpiece taking place in Egypt later this month.
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The 25-year-old comes off a gruelling season at Belgian club Royal Union Saint-Gilloise, where he played 29 out of 32 games in their regular league and cup competitions as well as six of their 10 UEFA Europa League play-off clashes played over the last two months.
He has also played an integral part in all six of Bafana's last six matches since September last year, taking his total number of games to 41 since August.
Tau will now be expected to play a key role in helping the national team do well at the AFCON, despite having minimal time off over the past 11 months, but says his experiences gained with The Brazilians, with whom he won the CAF Champions League in 2016, will place him in good stead to continue pushing.
"I think if you look after yourself quite well, it becomes easier. And then, yeah, I got to be prepared at Sundowns for such games, and so many games and tough schedules," said Tau.
"I think, with my body, it becomes easier now when I face such demands, but I was also just lucky to have gotten three weeks' break [from club football]."
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Mentally, the diminutive forward, who is on the books of Premier League side Brighton Hove Albion, is also in a healthy space, after bagging the Proximus League Player of the Season in Belgium as well as graduating from his BCom degree in recent weeks.
"Look, other things are also important in life. It happens that I was able to finish my schooling, so I'm proud of that," he added.
"And also, to continue with the hard work in Belgium and be named Player of the Season, which brings great confidence in what I've done and what the team also did.
"So, it was just a lot of positives to take out of my journey since I've left [South Africa]."