Bafana mix excites Dolly

Keagan Dolly (above) finally got in some practice with Bafana Bafana yesterday morning, as he took part in a training match against Golden Arrows at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi.

The 24-year-old Montpellier attacking midfielder was the last man to arrive in the Bafana camp, as Owen da Gama’s side prepare to face Guinea-Bissau in a friendly on Saturday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

Bafana will also play Angola in a friendly in East London next Tuesday evening.

Dolly is delighted with the make-up of caretaker coach Da Gama’s squad, with returning overseas-based players like Kermit Erasmus and youngsters like Luther Singh in the mix.

“It is very exciting, Kermit (Erasmus) and Kamo (Mokotjo) are great players, you still have Thulani (Serero) and to see youngsters like Luther Singh, Phakamani Mahlambi and Percy Tau being called up is motivating for other youngsters,” the former Mamelodi Sundowns man, who joined Montpellier in the January transfer window, told SABC Sport.

Dolly has been in and out of the Montpellier starting line-up since joining the Ligue 1 side, who are currently 15th in the table, just five points above the relegation zone. And he has admitted that the move from South Africa to France has been tough.

“It is something I always wanted to experience since I started playing,” he said.

“Now it has happened I am just grateful … it is always good coming back home and seeing my family and the people close to me and representing my national team. It has been very difficult (in France) but it is no use complaining, it is what I wanted.

“I knew I was going to a different country where they speak a different language.

“The culture is different, the football is different … but I am doing my best.”

Bafana’s training match against Arrows was played over three periods, with the national team winning 1-0 courtesy of a strike from Dolly’s former teammate, Hlompho Kekana.

The culture is different, the football is different … but I am doing my best. Keagan Dolly Bafana Bafana star on his move to France