South African defender Kgosi Ntlhe joins Rochdale AFC

South African born defender Kgosietsile Ntlhe has signed a two-year-deal with English League One outfit Rochdale AFC.

The 23-year-old, who made 24 appearances for League Two club Stevenage before parting ways with the club at the end of the season is delighted by his latest move, but admits that he has had to adapt to the demands of training at a higher level.

“I’m very happy. I’ve been here for a few weeks now, training with the boys. At first it was quite tough, but now I’m used to it and I’m really enjoying my time here," Ntlhe told the club's official website.

“The training is so hard, but after a few days my body got used to it. I’ve played a few games now. My last one was on Tuesday against Barnsley. That was quite tough, but I managed to get 60 minutes in so it was good,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Rochdale’s manager Keith Hill has also been encouraged by what Ntlhe brings to the club.

"We want winning instincts, and I think he's got those. He's athletic, dynamic, he passes the ball well, he's on the front foot. For me it represents good value for money as a squad player," Hill was quoted by the BBC as saying.