YOURI Djorkaeff summed up his first impressions of Premiership football as only a Frenchman could - with a smile and that quintessential Gallic shrug of the shoulders.

"No, I was not surprised," he said. "It was a game between two teams who have had difficulties. I knew it was going to be a hard game to play. Maybe people expected quality but the result was the most important thing and we have come away with one point and that's the best for Bolton."

One header on target, a wayward shot and one or two neat touches ... that was contribution of the 33-year-old World Cup winner before he was substituted just before the hour mark at Southampton on Saturday.

The acclaimed French international has been recruited to add a touch of class and a cutting edge for the final 12 matches that will determine Wanderers' Premiership fate but conditions at the St Mary's Stadium, as at other gale-lashed grounds around the country, made it almost impossible for the gifted international - desperately short of match action - to make his mark.

Sam Allardyce, who stretched Wanderers' limited financial resources to seal one of the most exciting transfer deals in Wanderers' history, gave three good reasons for replacing Djorkaeff with Rod Wallace after just 58 minutes of a largely uninspiring match.

"One - the pace of the Premiership; two - the fact he hadn't played for a while; and three - the unbelievable weather conditions meant we couldn't keep the ball and pass it around," the manager explained.

"That made life a little bit difficult for him but now he's had a taste of it, he knows what to expect. I would have thought that would have been his maximum considering he has had so few games. At times that showed but at others there was the quality we need to break defences open.

"As the weeks go on we are convinced he will get better and better."

Allardyce can rest assured that conditions behind the scenes - if not on the pitch - are very much to Djorkaeff's liking after the bitter experience of being frozen out at Kaiserslautern. The World Cup and European Championship winner likes Wanderers' style - the ghetto blaster in the dressing room and the highly-charged motivational techniques the manager holds so much store by.

"All the things that were forbidden in Germany," he explained.

But the attacking midfielder, who might have been an instant hit had former Stockport keeper Paul Jones not made one of two impressive first half saves to tip his 15th minute header over the bar, says it is too early to make fundamental judgments on the Premiership compared with the Bundesliga or Serie A, where he played at the peak of his career with Internazionale.

"It is different," he acknowledged, "but I really haven't had enough time to say how different.

"I was not surprised with the style here. It is more direct than I am used to but I will be able to answer the question better in two or three weeks. I don't know how to compare after just one game."

He certainly got a kick out of hearing his name being chanted by the large contingent of Wanderers' fans who made the trip to the south coast - a warming reception on a bitterly cold day - and the acknowledgment as he left then field, although rushed, was genuine.

"The next game at home it may be different," he said hopefully. "We will play with more confidence and more quality and next time, maybe the header will go in.

"I am really looking forward to playing at Bolton on Saturday to enjoy the atmosphere of the supporters and the noise."

Djorkaeff's remains entirely focused on his twin objectives - ensuring Wanderers survive and booking his ticker to Japan and Korea this summer.

"First I want Bolton to stay in the Premier League and after that I will leave with France for the World Cup," he said with an air of confidence.

"I think that is a good challenge for me."