Arsenal FC legend Ian Wright believes Percy Tau is good enough to play for his parent club, Brighton and Hove Albion in the English Premier League.
The South Africa international secured a move to Brighton from Premier Soccer League (PSL) giants Mamelodi Sundowns prior to the start of the current campaign.
However, Tau, who had won the PSL Player of the Season award, was loaned out to Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium in order to gain more experience after it became clear that he wouldn't be able to acquire a work permit in the United Kingdom.
"Look at Percy, I’ve seen him. You can’t tell me Percy cannot play at Brighton. He’s good, brilliant... a good footballer, man! You have to judge people on their abilities," Wright told Sport24.
Wright, who won the 1997/98 EPL title with Arsenal, stated that it will be difficult for South African players to play in England due to work permit issues.
The 55-year-old explained that football administrators in South Africa need to take control of the game in order for players to move straight from South Africa to the Premier League."It’s going to be difficult for South African players to play in England because of the work permit situation and getting SA to a level where a player can come straight to England and get the work permit," the retired striker added.
"That’s why you need football people making these decisions. It’s not decisions for government people, civil servant people [but] football people have to take control of this situation," he said.
"The problem is that [in the UK] they don’t take you on talent. They take you on logistics and red tape. You have to play a certain amount of games internationally," he concluded.
Tau has had a great debut season in Europe having scored nine goals in 29 appearances in all competitions at Saint-Gilloise.
He is currently part of the Bafana Bafana squad that will take on Libya in a crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier in Tunisia on Sunday night.
