John Barry Nusum is hoping to lead his boyhood club Wolves up the promotion path this season after agreeing to become head coach of the First Division side.

Nusum carved out a name for himself as a formidable striker at Wolves before embarking on a professional career in both the indoor and outdoor versions of the US game.

Although he has recovered from the serious knee injury which forced him to quit professional football, Nusum intends on channelling all his energy into coaching and does not plan to play for Wolves this term.

"I'm not really feeling the player-coach role, I don't think I would be able to do the job properly if I was playing out on the pitch," said the Bermuda international.

"You see things slightly differently from the dug-out and if I was playing then you'd probably have to get someone else to do the coaching."

Still only 29, Nusum first made the transition from player to coach earlier this summer when he guided the Arsenal to the final of the ISL where they lost to the Storm in a penalty shootout.

Although he still harbours ambitions to play again for his country, Nusum accepts his footballing future lies in coaching.

"I played in the ISL All-Star game and that gave me a little taster but at the moment I'm just focussing on the coaching side of things," said the West End Primary School teacher.

"I've always said that when I finished playing I'd like to coach. I've always looked at the game from that perspective, the structure of the team and tactics.

"Obviously the situation could change and I certainly haven't hung up my boots just yet."

The First Division promotion race promises to be an intriguing battle this season with Andrew Bascome's Robin Hood looking particularly strong, while relegated Somerset Trojans have strengthened their team by signing Dion Stovell from Boulevard, and Danvers Seymour from Somerset Eagles.

BAA Wanderers under the tutelage of Nusum's former national team coach, Kenny Thompson, could also be capable of springing a few surprises.

"It should be a very strong league and I'm looking forward to the challenge," said Nusum, who is aiming to improve on Wolves' sixth place finish of last season.

"We have a good young team at Wolves," he said. "From the outside it always seems we do well until the Christmas break and then we seem to fade towards the end.

"It's my target to make sure we keep playing for the whole season, not just for the first three months."