JOHN Kear will happily put a target on his head as he begins the task of rebuilding the Bulls.

The hugely-experienced coach is in no doubt that his new club are the team everyone wants to beat in League One.

Kear signed a three-year deal to take the Odsal helm 27 days after the club announced that Geoff Toovey would not be coming back.

And he accepts the Bulls are the prize scalp as they prepare for a first season in the third tier.

“I’ve seen the reward posters,” said Kear. “We’re the Bradford Bulls and we’ve got a bounty on our head!

“We need to realise we are going to be challenged. We’ve got to make sure we’ve not just got the ability but the attitude week in, week out to turn out and play really good rugby league.

“That’s the only way we’ll manage to win games at this level. Keighley, York, Hunslet, Doncaster, Oldham, Whitehaven, Workington will all fancy having a go at us.

“They’ll be wanting to be the first club to turn us over. We’ve got to stand up toe-to-toe with them, look them in the eye and say ‘right, you’re after us, see if you can get us.’

“It’s very similar to Tim Sheens. He was at Salford in a similar role to what I did at Wakefield and the lure of the head coach took him to Hull Kingston Rovers.

“Tim adapted a very pragmatic approach because Hull KR were the hunted last year and they handled it very well. We need to do something similar here.”

Kear still had a year of his contract to run as Wakefield head of rugby but the Super League club allowed him to go after agreeing a compensation package.

The Bulls revealed they had 15 applications but the 63-year-old was always their top target when he made it clear he was interested.

Club man Leigh Beattie, who was on the three-man shortlist along with Paul Anderson, will be his assistant.

Kear, who will take his first training session tomorrow, revealed that he had tried to land the Bulls job before.

“It was a number of years ago but obviously I was unsuccessful then. Thankfully everything has fitted together this time and I really am excited.

“It’s a unique challenge. It’s an iconic club but the last few years have been tough for anybody connected with them.

“To be charged with the task of bringing an air of stability and improvement on the playing front is fantastic and a great project.

“The club was a big appeal, the challenge was a big appeal and the change of role as well. There wouldn’t be many clubs I would consider leaving Wakefield for.”

Lee Smith has been appointed club captain and Kear, who will also carry on his role as Wales coach, is confident the former Leeds Rhino’s know-how will rub off on the youngsters in the squad.

He added: “Lee’s had a great career and can bring that experience to the younger players.

“There are a lot of them in there, and it’s up to guys like him and the likes of Ashley Gibson to put a marker down.

“They’re the standard-bearers, they’re the ones the youngsters can aspire to be like and I’m sure they’ll do a good job.

“There’s been a number of years here where it’s got worse and worse in terms of the performance side of things.

“That’s got to be arrested immediately and it’s vital the curve starts going back on an upward trend.

“It isn’t a quick fix, it’s a long-term job and with the structures that are in place, within five, six or seven years, hopefully this club is back where the infrastructure and fanbase deserve it to be.”