PATRICK Kisnorbo insists he can be more than just an emergency fix at Ipswich Town.

The injury-hit Australian defender joined the Blues on a one-month loan spell from Championship rivals Leeds United last week.

Most supporters have assumed that it was needs must after Danny Higginbotham’s departure once again left the club with just two recognised centre-backs in the form of Luke Chambers and Tommy Smith.

Kisnorbo enjoyed a solid debut in last weekend’s spirited 2-1 defeat at Premier League side Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round though, says a catalogue of injuries are fully behind him and has not ruled out a permanent switch to Portman Road.

“I have no idea what’s going to happen,” said the 31-year-old, who was Leeds’ player of the season when the Yorkshire club were promoted from League One but then missed the entire 2010/11 campaign with a ruptured Achilles and the second-half of last season with a cruciate knee ligament injury.

“What people have got to understand though is that my rehab finished. It’s been a year since my injury, I’ve been fit since the summer, but have just not been in the side at Leeds.

“I’ve kept myself going with some extra training because that’s the type of guy I am. I don’t even really think about the injuries now – they’re behind me as far as I’m concerned.

“It’s been a frustrating couple of years, I’m 31 now, but age is just a number. If you look after yourself you can play for a long time these days – just look at the likes of Giggs and Scholes.

“It’s an initial one-month loan here – we’ll see what happens after that.

“Neil Warnock hasn’t spoken to me, so I don’t know what he thinks. I’m here just to focus on myself, play as many games as I can and see where that takes me.”

A fans’ favourite at both Leicester and Leeds for his brave approach to the game, Kisnorbo is best known for the head bandage he continued to wear as a tradition after cutting his head on his debut for the Elland Road.

“If I get another cut, the bandages might come back,” joked the defender. “It was one of things that I wore at Leeds that stuck with me.

“I go into every game looking to give 110% and give my absolute best – that’s all you can do. If the fans take to that here then great.”