FRENCH loan star Antoine Sibierski has been pleasantly surprised by the quality he's seen in a few days of training with his new Canary team-mates.

The 6ft 2in forward joined in an eleventh-hour deadline day move on loan from Wigan for four months - and he says the style of City's football and the chance to link up again with Glenn Roeder were key factors in persuading him to swap the bright lights of the Premiership for the rumble in the Championship jungle.

He told First News: "I've been a bit surprised by the quality. I didn't think quality like that was at Norwich. I have seen some very good quality, very good players, good footballers. I think the main thing you need to win games is to play good football and that's what I have been told already, that in the last four games they have played some very good football and that's very very important to me.

Able to train with his new team-mates for the last few days after picking up a foot injury at the start of the season with Wigan, Sibierski said his focus has firmly switched from blue and white to green and yellow for the duration of his four-month loan stay - and possibly beyond.

He commented: "I am on loan four months here as you know. I don't look forward to getting back to Wigan to be fair now, for four months I am very concentrated on playing football for Norwich. I want to give my best, I want us to win as many games as we can."

So would he be open to staying longer than four months, he was asked?

"Why not? You know when you are 34 what you look forward to is the pleasure, to enjoy being on the pitch, that's what I couldn't find with Wigan for the last two or three months. The next four months are going to be very important. If I feel good, if the Club are happy with me and all the fans are happy with me, we can look forwards and see what happens in the next month after I am on loan. But I don't want to go too quickly - four months is a good time to give my best and to see what happens.

Sibierski has been a D-Day signing for Roeder twice now, this summer's late deal following a similar swoop by Glenn when he was manager at Newcastle United in 2006. The Frenchman said the chance to work with his former boss again - with the freedom that relationship gives him to enjoy his football - was a deal-clincher for him when this latest move was on the table:

"When he took the job last year I wasn't thinking about coming to Norwich but it was a good chance for me now because I know with him I have the most chance to enjoy every day, every game and that's what I want."

And is that because Roeder gets the best out of Sibierski as a player?

"Yes definitely. At Newcastle United I was very concentrated on my job. I've got quality but it was thanks to him because he knows me as a footballer, he knows exactly what position I have to play to get the best for my team-mates, not for myself only. There is no point just doing it for myself, I mean I'm going to enjoy if my team-mates enjoy with me. Glenn knows exactly where I have to play on the pitch to play my best - that's a great thing for me, that's the main thing for me."

Sibierski is the much-quoted 'final piece in the jigsaw' that Roeder has been hunting all summer, namely a big forward with aerial prowess and the technical ability to play with his back to goal to complement the range of attributes brought to the table by the likes of Arturo Lupoli, Jamie Cureton, OJ Koroma and successful striking convert Darel Russell. And while it may be harsh to suggest dropping down a division means playing against artisans rather than artists, there's no doubt the frequency of flying elbows, knees and boots will be higher in the Championship than he has been used to facing recently.

But that's a prospect that holds no fear for Antoine - au contraire, in fact: "The Premiership may be a bit more technical, but that's a challenge - a new challenge. I mean I am 34, I'm not going to complain because I am going to be kicked, because I'm going to be pushed. That's the game - that's football. That's what I have to expect and to be ready for next Saturday. As I say that's a good challenge and I've got something to prove myself and that's what I'm looking forward to."

Finally the seemingly inevitable question these days for any player aged over 30 joining a new club - would Sibierski's experience at the top of French and English league football potentially equip him to be a role model for the younger Canaries in and around Roeder's first team squad?

His response was a reassuring echo of the fundamental principles laid down in recent seasons by a certain Mr D.Dublin: "As a professional if I can be an example to the other players than I would be happy with that but I have to earn it as much as them, I have to compete as much as them. With the experience I've got and with the qualities I've got then hopefully I am going to make a difference in the box but that's down to me.

"Whatever age you are you have to give your best, there's no excuse. I have been injured and now I want to be on the pitch every day because I know eventually I am going to retire and I want to enjoy it as much as I can."