For all the talk of ushering in a fresh and youthful Bafana Bafana side, results are the bottom line when it comes to the 2022 World Cup qualifiers and someone like Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Keagan Dolly could of made a significant difference.
Dolly was a Champions League winner with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016 and although the former Ajax Cape Town attacking midfielder is still just 28-years-old, it feels like he's been around forever. He did after all make his PSL debut as far back as the 2012/ 13 season.
While he may still be making his way to full match fitness, it seems strange that he was left out of Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana squad which was chosen to do duty in back-to-back World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Ghana.
All the more so considering that several players who have not played at all for their clubs this season were selected in the squad.
Having made a couple of appearances off the bench for Amakhosi since his signing, Dolly made his full debut in the match against Baroka FC in what turned out to be a 2-1 win.
Having already shown several glimpses of his brilliance in two cameo substitute appearances (he created an assist for Khama Billiat with his first involvement as a Chiefs player), he was absolutely sensational against Baroka. Had Billiat been more clinical, Dolly could have had three or four assists that day.
Every time he got on the ball he seemed to sniff out gaps in the opposition defence thanks to his creativity and vision. When it comes to delivering the final ball, few South African players have the deftness of touch and accuracy which Dolly has.
Against Zimbabwe, in the 0-0 draw in Harare on Friday, Dolly is exactly what Bafana Bafana was missing – a creative spark.
One can easily imagine Dolly combing with Percy Tau the way he has been with Billiat. It would be an exciting combination, and with Tau a little off the boil at the moment, someone like Dolly could be the perfect foil to spark him back into life.
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Evidence Makgopa, Bafana's beanpole young striker, could thrive on the pin-point balls into the box Dolly can deliver. The pacey Bongokuhle Hlongwane could outstrip most opposition if played in by the kind of defence-splitting balls Dolly can conjure.
In big games with high stakes such as World Cup qualifiers, players with a little bit of stardust are what's needed. He's the kind of individual capable of turning a tight 0-0 game into a 1-0 win.
In most cases, there’s no substitute for experience, class and composure. These are not elements which can be coached. And it’s not like Dolly is over the hill at 28.
It seems almost suicidal to leave out players of this caliber while instead hoping that a bunch of untried youngsters are going to come out tops in the unforgiving environment of African World Cup qualifiers. Come Monday evening against Ghana at the FNB Stadium, it's likely Dolly will again be missed by the home side.