The winger admits his first season in Spain was as much a personal challenge as a footballing one. Moving away from family and friends, adapting to a new culture and learning a new language forced him to become more self-reliant.
“It’s definitely matured me so much, off the pitch and on it too,” he said.
On the field, Dolan believes the standard of La Liga has accelerated his development. He says his decision-making has improved significantly, while his crossing and ability to provide different types of assists have also progressed.
“I’ve learned and added so many tools to my trade since making the move to Espanyol,” he said.
Having made more than 30 appearances last season, Dolan now feels the weight of expectation has changed.
“I feel much more responsibility within the team this year,” he said. “I feel like I am one of the players who is going to get it done.”
“When you join, everything is new to you and you don’t really know how to handle it. You just kind of roll with it.
“But now I know exactly what I’m doing heading into this season. I’ve got my home here, I’ve got my solid fanbase, I’ve got team-mates that are now friends for me. It’s not just strangers that you’re playing with at the start.”
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