The Al Ahly attacker is not part of the Bafana Bafana team that is taking part in the 2025 Afcon qualifiers.
South Africa legend Doctor Khumalo believes there is more than what meets the eye in Hugo Broos' decision to omit Percy Tau from the 23-man squad selected for the ongoing international break.
The 30-year-old attacker has, recently, not had an easy outing at Al Ahly after reportedly falling out with coach Marcel Kohler.
Broos claimed Tau was not fit in all aspects to be involved in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Is there a hidden reason for Tau's absence?
Tau claimed he was played out of position by Broos which limited his impact for the national team. However, Khumalo feels there is something that the public doesn't know, but by all means, feels it was wrong to leave Tau in the cold.
“Percy has done so much for the national team but doing so much shouldn’t guarantee him a place in the national team when he’s not doing well,” the Kaizer Chiefs legend told the DNA Podcast.
“But he’s going to come back; how many youngsters do we have in the team to replace Percy and his status? Percy can make a difference by just being there.
“Now, there’s a dirty laundry that me and you and the rest of South Africa, we don’t know. He just told us a bit I used to play the left wing, which it’s not my position, but he was sacrificing himself in terms of making sure we create there and there.
“At the end of the day, I don’t want to sound as if Hugo Broos is wrong, he’s the man who has to make the decision and choose players that he feels will be able to adapt to the system that he wants to play.”
Broos should have asked for Mkhalele's help
Khumalo believes an amicable decision could have been reached with the involvement of all parties.
He argues that the assistant coach at Bafana Bafana Helman Mkhalele should have been involved.
“Percy is one of the strong senior players. He plays a major role in that national team. But I understand the coach, maybe,even if it’s not him, maybe he should have asked Helman to talk to Percy, because you don’t just drop a figure like that without an explanation.
“I need to educate people that a system doesn’t make players. Players make the system, yes, so the kind of players are the ones that will determine what kind of system you want to play,” He concluded.
South Africa play South Sudan on Tuesday in Juba hoping to collect the first win of the campaign after a 2-2 draw with Uganda on Friday.