This weekend, we covered the first part of Roderick Miranda’s big interview with A Bola, where the player chatted about his adaptation to England and the quality of the game he found in the country.
But there was still a lot more to say, so we’re translating a few more quotes today, as the defender still had some special things to talk about.
Something that Portuguese players are not always asked is the smaller number of free-kicks that are given by referees in the Championship. Miranda claims it took a while for him to get used to it, even though a defender is benefited from it.
“(I’m used to it) Now, but in the beginning I was a bit lost. In Portugal, sometimes blowing on the opponent is enough for him to fall and it’s a foul. In England, I tell you joking obviously, but you can almost stick a knife in the back of the striker and the referee lets the play go on.
“The player himself is different, he rarely falls to the ground. The players who come from abroad are those who know about this thing. The English get beaten up, get up and continue to run, never stopping the game. The only disadvantage is that there is greater tendency towards serious injuries.”
Asked about the game where he found the best atmosphere, Miranda said: “I loved Wolverhampton-Aston Villa. It was the closest thing to the atmosphere of a Portuguese classic. The stadium was packed, it was spectacular.
“But the game in which I experienced the adrenaline of the English league was when we won 3-2 at Hull City. We made the 3-1 at 90+2 and the fans started to leave. However, the referee gave eight minutes of added time, the people sat down and I was surprised by that. The truth is that at 90+9 Hull scored with a penalty and there was a surreal noise around me. I thought ‘these guys are almost on the pitch.’ It was to the end, English style.”
Miranda was lucky to sign for an English club full of Portuguese teammates, and it’s not only at the Wolves facilities that they see each other: “We try to have a dinner at a different couple’s house every week. And it is curious that there are three babies in the group: Santiago of five months, the daughter of Ruben Neves and Deborah with three months and Ivan and Andreia became parents a month ago.”
Quizzed about whether he’s having any difficulties to drive on the right seat, he said: “I decided to take my car from Portugal, because some of Catarina’s relatives were willing to take the way of the Channel Tunnel. Even so, it hasn’t been easy: I’ve hit some mirrors and sidewalks. But the curious thing is that I entered a street in the opposite direction when I arrived in Lisbon because I was used to the English style.”
