Incoming Manly coach Anthony Seibold has opened up on his failings during his horror stint at the Broncos as he takes on his first head coaching role since his doomed reign at Red Hill.
Speaking with Channel 9 in England, Seibold admitted he didn’t get the balance between relationships with players and decision making right in Brisbane.
“A lot of it is around decision-making; the decisions I either made or didn’t make,” Seibold told Nine in England.
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“One of my strengths has always been my relationship with players, and I didn’t quite get that right for some reason.
“I think I did help a lot of the younger players and still have a lot of good relationships with them.
“It’s been fantastic to see guys like Kotoni Staggs, Herbie Farnworth and Tommy Dearden go on.
“The mistakes I made I probably keep private but they are around decision-making.”
Seibold admitted he was at rock bottom after parting ways with the Broncos two years into a five-year deal, but he revealed he never contemplated quitting head coaching for good.
“I always believed I was a good coach,” Seibold said.
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“I feel like I’ve shown that for the majority of my career. But I’ve also failed and I have learnt a lot from those failures. I made some decisions that I potentially wouldn’t make again.
“We’re all human. We’re all flawed in some capacity. I’ve made mistakes. I always thought I’d get another opportunity as a head coach, but I just wasn’t sure when it would be.
“I feel like I’m a coach who has shown a lot of perseverance. The easy thing after getting knocked down on the canvas would have been to give coaching away.
“I didn’t think the opportunity wouldn’t present, I just thought whether or not I would want to take the opportunity.”
Speaking with The Daily Telegraph, Seibold admitted he has made mistakes in his coaching career, both in leaving the Rabbitohs when he did and during his failed tenure at the Broncos.
“You learn from every experience,” Seibold said.
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“We all make mistakes in life and I made plenty, whether it was the decision to leave South Sydney and the way it was done, to challenges in 2020 during that Covid period when we didn’t get it right (at the Broncos).
“Ultimately 2020 was a challenging year and the club had a really tough time that year. There were some challenges that came my way at Brisbane, external and internal.
“I have been through a fair bit. One thing I am proud of is I got knocked down on the canvas – probably got knocked out if you are using the boxing analogy – but I have got back in the ring and I feel as though I have something to offer as a coach.”
Seibold believes he was not alone in making mistakes at both Souths and Brisbane, but he remain determined to get another opportunity in the NRL when the time was right.
“I feel as though I brought a fair bit to South Sydney in the year I coached them,” he said.
“For whatever reason it didn’t work in Brisbane but what do you do? You either give it away – I think that is actually failing.
“You have to learn from your mistakes. I have learned plenty. I am human – you don’t always get things right.
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“I could have handled things differently at different times. I am sure plenty of other people around me could have handled things differently as well, but I come with optimism.
“I don’t come with thinking I can’t add to the group or add to the club. I certainly came better prepared.”
Some people fear Seibold may be biting off more than he can chew by taking on a Manly club that is in turmoil after the Pride Jersey saga and Des Hasler’s sacking following seven straight losses to end the 2022 season.
However, Seibold sees the opportunities in front of him rather than the challenges.
“A lot of people have said you’re going back into a really challenging environment as a head coach,” he said.
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“I coach because I love coaching. I love helping people get better. I feel as though I’ve shown a lot of resilience and perseverance having gone through the failing at Brisbane – and a very public one as well. I’ve been through that, got knocked down and knocked out. But I’ve got myself back up off the floor. I wouldn’t put myself in this position if I didn’t think I can bring something to Manly.
“It’s an opportunity for the club to start again and have a bit of a reset after a pretty challenging couple of months to finish last year. There’s a legacy, also, to coming in. Des Hasler has been a fantastic coach for a long period of time, so there’s the legacy that Des has left at Manly. I come in with great optimism and that’s through the opportunity, but also the senior group.”
