Yahoo Sports Agbadou embracing new challenges of the Premier League
There was a consensus among Wolves supporters contacting BBC Radio WM last week about what they were getting in their new defender Emmanuel Agbadou.
"He's a unit."
Having met him after his first appearance for the club in Saturday's FA Cup tie at Bristol City, I can confirm they were right.
Talking to a small group of reporters, he presented as a gentle soul, quietly but genuinely overjoyed to be in England: "It's a dream. When you play football you want to play in the Premier League, because there are a lot of good players who play there. It is a dream, and today the dream has come true, so I want just to enjoy."
He is the first signing made since the arrival of Vitor Pereira, who has spoken in much the same terms over the past few weeks - refreshing sentiments at a time of the season when it is easy to become jaded, especially at a struggling club.
Agbadou shaped up well enough at Ashton Gate. There were a few moments of miscommunication with his team-mates, not unreasonable after only having met them a couple of days earlier. After each hiccup he could immediately be seen signalling to Pereira for guidance: a good sign of a busy mind and, hopefully, a quick learner.
He acknowledged there is a lot to learn, after his experiences in the top divisions in Belgium and France.
"It's not the same. Even when you play against a Championship team, the game never stops," he said. "It's transition, transition, transition. You don't have time to stop. So it's very different."
From the bench, Pereira agrees the pace is the difference between English football and the game elsewhere. On Tuesday, he related a discussion with midfielder Andre, comparing their experiences in Brazil - Pereira has managed two clubs there - with the Premier League.
"The difference is, when we have a throw-in in Brazil, we have time to do it. We breathe a bit, we rest a bit - calm, calm...
"Here, if you sleep 10 seconds, you will wake up losing the game 1-0. The game doesn't stop, never stops.
"But this is something that I love. To be, every time, connected, one step ahead... I feel that I'm playing, with my team."
At St James' Park later, Agbadou will really find out what the Premier League is like, and he has been primed about the atmosphere.
"Yes, they tell me that. But this is the Premier League, and I think every team plays like this..."
Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights
