Al Ahly and Bafana Bafana star Percy Tau has revealed what his club has been doing lately to help him stay injury-free.
In 2022, the 29-year-old striker had a succession of injuries that saw him missing a lot of action both at the club and national team.
Reports even suggested that Al Ahly were considering releasing him due to concerns about numerous injuries. Meanwhile, the Bafana coach Hugo Broos also proposed that the former Mamelodi Sundowns forward must stay six months without playing football in order to recover.
The last campaign was a turnaround season for the Witbank-born star, proving his worth at the Club of the Century having fully recovered. He was one of Ahly’s mainstays as the club won the CAF Champions League, Egyptian Premier League, Egypt Cup and two Egyptian Super Cups.
Meanwhile, he has also been a regular in Broos’ team.
Tau says the club decided to play him fewer minutes as he used to pick up injuries towards the end of the match. Apart from that, they have also been assisting him with a training program that helps avoid injuries.
WHAT AL AHLY HAVE BEEN DOING TO KEEP PERCY TAU INJURY-FREE
“What is happening right now with Ahly is that I don’t play 90 minutes anymore. I don’t know if you guys notice, cause I would always get injured in the last 75th minute to 90th. So. I play less minutes,” he said.
“But then also I do a lot of work in the gym before and after. Even whenever I’m okay I still keep on the programme. And I’m trying to strengthen my legs and the upper body.”
Asked further, Tau stated the club’s decision to ease the burden on him was also taken because of a lot of travelling for both the national team and club duties.
‘THE OVERLOAD WAS TOO MUCH’
“That’s the conversation we had and also we decided that the overload was too much. Because also the travelling was increasing my injuries. The first one, I came to the national team, we were still doing pre-season, and I got injured,” he added.
“The second one was late in the match where I was supposed to go out. It’s not nice to go out, but they always try and do that to help you play the whole season.
“I don’t know if this season they have changed, but last season that’s the talk we had. And they believed that I just have to play less minutes, not the whole game.”
RELATED STORY: Percy Tau reveals reason behind new haircut