MANAGING director Mick Donovan reckons Worcester Wolves are in a "strong position" to recruit players this summer despite being without a head coach and director of basketball for the next two months.

The British Basketball League outfit have launched a global search to replace recently-departed duo Paul James and Dale Ryan ahead of the 2018-19 season.

James ended his eight-and-a-half-year reign as head coach to become Plymouth Raiders boss earlier this month while Ryan, who became director of basketball at the University of Worcester in January last year, has also left for pastures new.

The two roles have now been merged as Donovan looks to begin a “new era” at the club.

Although Wolves have been “inundated” with interest in the vacancy Donovan insisted he did not want to make a “knee-jerk” appointment and was willing to wait until mid-September for a new man to take the hot-seat.

In the meantime Donovan said he would work alongside “well-connected” Spanish coach Dr Alejandro Vaquera to put together a squad for the new season which begins on Friday, September 21.

“We are going to search worldwide so we are going to advertise for a month and then we will do interviews,” Donovan said.

“The head coach and director of basketball probably won’t be in place until mid-September so Alejandro and our partners at Valencia Basket will help me with recruitment as there will not be a coach to recruit a team.

“We want somebody who not only understands the game but can develop players at all levels so they are able to work with elite players and see potential.

“They will understand the benefits that education brings to a person.”

Under James’ leadership, Wolves won the BBL Trophy and BBL play-offs in 2014 and finished in the top four in five of the past seven seasons.

“We are very thankful for Paul’s contribution,” Donovan said.

“When we were novices in the BBL he brought that experience and success.

“But it is a new era now and we have got an opportunity to do something really exciting.

“We have got a lot of good things in place to build upon and we think we are an attractive place for people to come.

“Since Paul stepped down we have been inundated with expressions of interest.

“But we have just told them that when the job is advertised formally you will be able to see whether you will be suitable or not.

“We could have just jumped the gun and said ‘Let’s go for the same’ but we want to have something which is really sustainable.

“In sport some people make knee-jerk decisions and then pay for it later but we want to put a really strong programme in place that is going to serve us for many years.”

Wolves have yet to make a new signing or retain any of last season’s squad but Donovan has trusted Vaquera to drive the club's recruitment.

Vaquera is the director of sport at Leon University in Spain as well as being visiting academic at the University of Worcester.

He also stood in as head coach when James missed Wolves’ play-off semi-final second leg against Newcastle Eagles in 2017.

“Alejandro is very well connected around the world and respected so he will be a great ally,” Donovan added.

"We have also got some very good friends at Valencia Basket who share information with us so we are in a strong position compared to many BBL teams in terms of networks and recruitment."