Roderick Miranda on life at Wolves – and excitement for the new season

Miranda, a £2.5million signing from Rio Ave, has featured in both pre-season friendlies so far and is looking to make his mark with tough competition at the back for places.

And the centre half believes Wolves are building up nicely to the big kick off on August 5.

"Everybody has good feelings about the season and we're excited about the start," he told the Express & Star.

"It's been a good pre-season, we're trying to improve ourselves to reach our maximum level.

"Everybody is feeling excited about the season and everyone has in their head that we have to do our best, that's the goal."

Miranda has had longer to bed in than some of the other new recruits having sealed his move to Molineux a month ago.

He said the opening weeks of life at Wolves had been positive – helped by his impressive grasp of English.

"It's been a great experience – and to get to know my team mates and the new (style of) football as well," the 26-year-old added.

"This kind of thing when we go to another country makes it easier to know each other, to train harder, to know the new method of the coach. It's been a good week.

"I've enjoyed it, training has gone well. It's normal to be hard work in pre-season. This is the beginning, every player is now used to it because every pre-season is hard.

"We have to prepare the best way we can to start the Championship strong.

"If I can't speak any English it would be worse, for sure. It's easier to speak with them and for them to understand me."

It's two wins from two so far for Nuno's Wolves who have beaten Werder Bremen 1-0 and Viktoria Plzen 2-1, with Miranda playing the full 90 in the latter.

How have the games gone for the defender?

"I've felt very good – it was a good experience to feel for the first time the jersey of Wolverhampton," he added.

"I've been very happy with both games, happy with the minutes I've played. I'm very glad.

"Luckily last year I played almost all of the season so I only stopped for maybe three weeks.

"When we started training the fitness from last year came back, so it was easier to be fitter.

"In these games winning is not the most important but the better you do the pre-season with victories than losses.

"It's good to win but the most important thing is to understand what the coach wants and the new tactics.

"I think everyone understands this well.

"I've never played in this (3-4-3) system but everyone has to adapt. We started on the first day so we already have three weeks of training.

"We're trying every day to improve, not only the defence but everybody.

"I think the team is doing a good job and for sure we're only going to improve before the beginning of the Championship."

Two players Miranda knows from his time in Portugal, Porto pair Ruben Neves and Willy Boly, joined the club just before the trip to Austria.

Miranda is impressed Wolves attracted the duo to Molineux – and has also appreciated the support shown by the club's fanatical supporters who've followed them to Austria.

"I'm very impressed with the fans," he said. "In the two games they're always singing and there were a lot of fans to watch the games, they're very friendly as well.

"I know Neves and Boly because I played against them in Portugal. They're very good players and it's good they're here with Wolves.

"They'll bring more quality and options for the coach.

"I'm impressed, it's a sign that Wolves wants to make a good season this year."