DIRECTOR of rugby Gary Gold has described his challenge at relegation-threatened Worcester Warriors as a “massive job” and “tremendous task”.

The former Bath, Newcastle Falcons and London Irish chief admits he won’t have time to “radically alter” things on the field at Sixways with just nine Aviva Premiership matches remaining.

But Cape Town-born Gold will provide “clarity” to the squad and put a “focus on doing certain things better” as Warriors battle to safeguard their top-tier status.

The 49-year-old refused to predict Warriors would escape the drop but promised “the boys are up for a fight.”

Gold arrived at Warriors this week and joined the club with ex-Saracens chief executive Edward Griffiths, who he worked alongside at Sharks in South Africa.

“It’s a massive job and it’s certainly going to be quite a tremendous task,” said Gold whose new side are one point and one place above basement boys Bristol.

“It’s a difficult place being near the bottom of the Premiership.

“The pressure is immense on a lot of different people but, with respect, I don’t feel the pressure because I have only just got here.

“The club and the team are where they are at the moment and hopefully I can come in with a clear vision.

“I am hoping I will go a long way to giving the guys some clarity in what the job at hand is and what needs to be done for Warriors to really improve their game and, in doing so, stay in the Premiership.

"It’s not all in our hands but we have to control the things we can.”

Head coach Carl Hogg has been out on the training pitch this week preparing Warriors for their Anglo-Welsh Cup clash at Cardiff Blues on Saturday (3pm).

But Gold has sat down with the coaches and players as they put the building blocks in place for their next Premiership match against Saracens at Sixways on Saturday week.

“Radically altering anything when you are days away from playing the champions is a recipe for disaster,” admitted Gold.

“I have sat with the coaches and players and I think the focus point has to be on doing certain things better and improving on those areas.

“I have said that to the board and players and it’s also a very big message to the supporters but they need to divorce the emotion from the task in hand.

“All the supporters and club want is to see a group of guys who will show an unbelievable commitment on the field.

“If they play a rugby team who are better than them and they lose because the other team plays better then people are forgiving about that.

“But when there are errors in your control like the work-rate around the park and the intensity in the way you play then that’s when people get annoyed.

"We can put our time and energy into that. We will see what happens and where the fate lies.”

The former South Africa assistant coach arrived at Newcastle in January 2012 with Falcons nine points adrift in the Premiership.

Gold was made head coach and Falcons closed the gap on Wasps only to fall short in their survival bid by one point.

“The only prediction I am prepared to make is this group of players will not go down without a fight,” said Gold.

“Whether we win a game in the last nine I don’t know the answer to that and we are certainly not going to be making any wonderful predictions.

“Bristol’s improvement has been really admirable in the last month or so and they are certainly a team on a mission.

“This a tough competition, arguably the toughest in world rugby. The boys are up for a fight and that’s the only commitment I can give.”