Worcester Wolves coach Paul James relishing challenge

Paul James has targeted a play-off place for the Wolves this season

Worcester Wolves new head coach Paul James says he is well aware of the size of the task facing him but is keen to get on with the job.

James replaces Chuck Evans who resigned after a dispute that also led to six players leaving the club.

"It's a challenge that I am glad to take on as the club officials clearly have a passion for the game," he told BBC Hereford & Worcester.

"The foundations are there to be one of the big runners in the league."

James has the pedigree needed to turn around the Wolves' fortunes having formerly coached the England squad at all levels and also enjoyed highly successful spells with Bracknell Tigers and Guildford Heat.

We have got to sort out the Americans very quickly as we have to get their work permits and visas sorted out

Worcester head coach Paul James

But he is under no illusions as to the size of the task facing him.

"I am around five months behind everybody else in the league so we are starting from scratch," he admitted.

"The important thing is that I try to get my point across as quickly as possible and the goal is to try to make the play-offs.

"That will be hard but I want the players to come in and concentrate, while we want to have some fun till the end of the season," he added.

And James knows contacting potential targets for his squad with the Christmas period coming up will not be easy.

But he says work is already under way.

"Certainly the emails have been flowing over the past few days so I am wading my way through those," he said.

"We have got to sort out the Americans very quickly as we have got to get their work permits and visas sorted out.

"The hope is that we have everybody in by the end of December then we will have a couple of days of training before we get into it," he added.

The Wolves have been given permission to postpone their league fixtures for December, but they are due to resume their BBL campaign on Sunday 3 January 2010 when they will head to Sheffield Sharks.