Andre Bester last night distanced himself from the vacant position of director of rugby with National League One side Pertemps Bees.

The Sharmans Cross Road outfit sacked head coach Ben Harvey on Tuesday evening and immediately installed Russell Earnshaw as his replacement.

The South African was brought in on a consultancy basis a few weeks ago to improve a parlous league position that has them marooned in the relegation zone and ten points from safety.

Having elevated Earnshaw, Bees are also hoping to add a DoR to their coaching staff, potentially before the season ends - and had identified Bester as their preferred candidate.

Bester, who guided Rotherham Titans to second place in the First Division last season, claims that in the club's financial state Bees would not be able to afford his services.

He said: "I have had offers from the Premiership, I have had offers from the Super 14 and I have had offers from the Celtic League. The board knows very well I have no ambition in working in Birmingham [& Solihull] rugby on a permanent basis.

"For them to employ me, it is going to take half their budget. I am not interested in it. I do not need to be involved in rugby. I am [there] on a weekly basis and I can only do it until my business commitments say otherwise."

Bees, though, have ambitious plans and hope to be able to attract a high-profile DoR such as Bester when they sell Sharmans Cross Road.

They have pencilled in March 2008 for their move to Solihull Moors' Damson Park and hope to host Northampton Saints as their curtain-raiser.

Once their old ground is sold, they will have significant funds to invest into the development of their shared home and in improving their off-field infrastructure. They are confident that, at that stage, they will be able to attract a coach of Bester's standing.

In the meantime, the one thing both Bester and the club hierarchy believe in is Earnshaw's ability to lift Bees clear of relegation.

Bester said: "Russell Earnshaw was involved a couple of years back when Doncaster were in the relegation zone. He and one of the backs rescued them from several points from safety and they ended up in ninth position.

"If Russell Earnshaw cannot do this, then it can't be done because he has done it before, because it's all about your track record in rugby. I want to see the real Russell Earnshaw coming through now, the one who was such a f****** pain to me when my teams played against him for so many years."

Bester also added that Bees had been the victim of their own generosity this season. Their recruitment and planning was based on the fact that they expected Steve Williams to remain in charge of the first team.

Instead, they allowed the Welshman to leave when Magners League side Ulster offered him a full-time position; that meant they went into the current campaign with Harvey in charge of the backs and Earnshaw coaching the forwards.

"They have been very lenient with the way they have looked at the season so far," he said. "Their goodwill rebounded on them. Rugby is a ruthless environment, high-rewarding but ruthless and if you dip your toe into the water, sometimes it gets bitten by sharks."

Bester will attend his first Bees game this weekend when Moseley visit Solihull in a crucial relegation battle.