Roy Miller has immense affection for the New York Red Bulls, and with good reason, it’s the club where he has spent the most time. Between 2010 and 2015, Miller played for the Red Bulls and had the opportunity to live many unforgettable experiences, sharing the dressing room with players from different nationalities.
“There were players from various nationalities, there weren't many Latinos, but I had good chemistry with the Americans like Tim Ream, Dax McCarty," said Miller. “Dax came later, but that year [2010] with Tim, the same with Mike Petke, then with the Norwegian [Jan Gunnar] Solli.
“So when it came to communicating it was not difficult for me because I spoke a little Norwegian, just like [Joel] Lindpere who had been in Norway. He played on the left wing, so the experience was good. At that time we had Jamaicans, Juan Pablo Ángel was there and helped me a lot, then Rafael Márquez and Thierry Henry also arrived.”
In the year Miller arrived in MLS, the Red Bulls inaugurated Red Bull Arena, but they also completed a great regular season, which ended with 51 points and first place in the Eastern Conference.
“It was a good year for the team, unfortunately in the playoffs we were knocked out, but overall I think it was a good season my first year at the club,” said Miller.
Miller, who currently plays for Deportivo Saprissa, played over 10,000 minutes for the Red Bulls and contributed 15 assists.
“I saw a lot of players come and go, obviously I remember a lot Fernando [Ruíz], Sean [Ruíz], there are several from the staff like Ricardo [Campos] who helped me during his time there, and teammates, what can I say!" said the Costa Rican defender. "I can mention teammates like Lindpere, who was someone I played with the most, Dax McCarty, Dane Richards, [Macoumba] Kandji, Solli, I can’t forget Thierry and Rafa.
“I will have to give you a very long list because the truth is that I had good chemistry with many of them, and they will always remain in my memory because of the time I was there. I had a good time, we achieved and won many things. The love is enormous for that city and especially for the team.”
One of the best moments from his time with the Red Bulls was the opportunity to participate in the Emirates Cup and win it, accompanying Thierry Henry in a special occasion of his career.
"Very good, I think that was like halfway through the season. The experience was very nice, playing against important teams like Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, it was also significant because of Henry and being there with him, ”said Miller. “In the end, although maybe we weren't there with the adequate preparation, but we had a good rhythm, we had a good team, we competed, and in the end it was achieved. I think it was a pretty good achievement, personally for me, very nice to live that experience and win that tournament. ”
Miller, who was also part of the Costa Rican national team that reached the quarterfinals in the 2014 World Cup, has observed from afar the rapid growth of the league and predicts that the best years are yet to come.
“Amazing what you see from here, and when we face them,” concluded Miller. "The players who are arriving in MLS, the level of football that is being played, all the comforts that the MLS is giving in having good stadiums and fan bases that are growing. I think the difference has been big since the year I got there [in 2010] to what you see now, in every way, and I always said, ‘In a few years, I think that league is going to be one of the best.’”
