Kear guided Hull to Challenge Cup victory last season

Kear, who was sacked by Hull earlier in the season, succeeds Tony Smith who left the Wildcats last week.

Wakefield are two points adrift at the bottom of the Super League table with just six games remaining.

Kear said: "They're six must-win games. It's a big challenge but life's all about challenges, and I'm really looking forward to it."

Interview: Wakefield coach John Kear

Two of those matches are against top-four sides St Helens and Leeds while another is against fellow strugglers Castleford.

Kear added: "We've got to work very hard to make sure we perform as well as we can do in every game. If we do that we'll give ourselves every chance."

Wakefield appointed Kear after their first target James Lowes rejected the job because he wanted to remain as assistant coach at Salford.

The Wildcats had been given permission to speak to Lowes at the end of last week but he told them at the weekend that he did not want to join them.

Kear had been tipped to take over as soon as Smith left Wakefield by mutual consent seven days ago.

He left Hull at the start of April after being told his contract would not be renewed at the end of the season.