Jimmy Tau facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jimmy Raboholo Tau | ||
| Date of birth | 23 July 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Kimberley, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Right-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2001 | Basotho Tigers | 34 | (6) |
| 2001–2002 | Maritzburg City | 28 | (3) |
| 2002–2005 | Orlando Pirates | 73 | (4) |
| 2005–2013 | Kaizer Chiefs | 165 | (5) |
| Total | 300 | (18) | |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2003–2007 | South Africa | 8 | (0) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
|||
Jimmy Tau, born on 23 July 1980 in Kimberley, is a famous South African former soccer player. He was a right-back, which is a defensive position on the field. Jimmy played for big teams like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. He also represented his country, South Africa, in international matches. One of his biggest achievements was playing in the 2006 African Nations Cup in Egypt.
Contents
Jimmy Tau's Soccer Journey
Starting with Basotho Tigers
Jimmy Tau began his professional soccer journey with Basotho Tigers in 1999. The team played in the semi-professional Vodacom League. After a good season, his club was promoted to the National First Division.
Playing for Maritzburg City
In the 2001/2002 season, Jimmy moved to Maritzburg City. Here, he played alongside Mabhuti Khenyeza, who would later become his teammate again. Jimmy played 28 games for Maritzburg City. He helped the team finish third in their league.
Winning with Orlando Pirates
Jimmy Tau joined Orlando Pirates for the 2002/2003 soccer season. This was a very successful move for him. He helped the "Buccaneers," as Orlando Pirates are known, win the league championship that season.
Becoming a Legend at Kaizer Chiefs
In 2005, Jimmy Tau joined Kaizer Chiefs, another one of South Africa's biggest soccer clubs. His first game for Chiefs was on 20 August 2005. It was a cup match against Bloemfontein Celtic, which they unfortunately lost 2–1.
His first goal for Kaizer Chiefs came on 23 April 2006. It was in a league match against Silver Stars, and Chiefs won 2–1. Jimmy became a very important player for the team. He even became the captain!
During his eight years at Kaizer Chiefs, Jimmy Tau helped the club win many trophies. These included two Nedbank Cup trophies, two MTN8 cups, and three Telkom Knockout medals. The biggest win was the 2012/2013 Absa Premiership trophy. By the time he left, Jimmy had played 210 matches for Kaizer Chiefs.
Playing for His Country
Jimmy Tau also played for the South African national team, known as Bafana Bafana. His first international game was on 8 October 2003. South Africa won 3–0 against Lesotho in Maseru.
He was part of the team that played in the 2006 AFCON tournament. His last international match was on 28 March 2007. It was a 1–0 loss against Bolivia, where he came on as a substitute.
Jimmy Tau's Playing Style
Jimmy Tau was known as a "marauding right-back." This means he was a defender who also liked to run forward and help with attacks. Experts described him as a player who tackled very well. He had excellent timing when challenging for the ball.
Life After Soccer
Retiring from the Game
On his 33rd birthday, 23 July 2013, Jimmy Tau announced he was retiring from professional soccer. He held a special event in Soweto, Gauteng. One of the main reasons he retired was due to an injury.
Beyond the Soccer Field
Even after retiring from soccer, Jimmy Tau stayed busy. In December 2012, he became a director at Bataung Memorial Tombstones. This company makes tombstones and is based in Katlehong.
In October 2013, Jimmy was one of three former sportsmen featured on Survivor South Africa. This popular TV show was filmed on an island near Malaysia. Other sports stars included former Lazio defender Mark Fish and former Springbok captain Corné Krige. Jimmy described the island as "beautiful, extremely hot, and very humid."
On 25 December 2013, Jimmy Tau released his autobiography. It was called "Jimmy Tau - My Life Story."
