Suprise call up for Rodgers

Santos striker Eleazar Rodgers has admitted that his call-up to Pitso Mosimane’s Bafana Bafana squad has come as a ‘surprise’ but is ‘grateful for the opportunity’.

The 27-year-old forward has netted 12 goals for The People’s Team this term and is second on the Absa Premiership goal scoring charts.

The list of names called-up to the Bafana Bafana squad was announced early on Thursday morning as Mosimane prepares to build a squad fit for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

“It came as a surprise. I obviously had a fairly good season where the goals are concerned and that is what the team needed right now,” Rodgers told Kickoff.com.

“I think it was a matter of time that I would get the call-up and I am just grateful for the opportunity.”

South Africa are set to play Ethiopia on June 3 and Botswana just half a dozen days later.

Rodgers was selected alongside fellow forwards Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Tokelo Rantie (Orlando Pirates) and the league’s highest scorer Siyabonga Nomvete (Moroka Swallows).