Incoming Manly assistant Shane Flanagan has revealed how one conversation with Anthony Seibold could lead to his long-awaited head coaching return.
Flanagan coached the Sharks for eight seasons, but was banned in 2014 due to the club’s supplements scandal.
He returned in 2015 winning Cronulla’s maiden title the following season, but was deregistered indefinitely in 2018 after failing to adhere to the conditions of his 2014 ban.
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Flanagan continued to work as an assistant and then list management consultant at the Dragons, but his dream to return as a head coach still remained.
The 56-year-old explained that when Seibold first made contact regarding his Manly role, he said he sees him as an “NRL coach”, not just an assistant.
“The thing that I liked about Anthony when he first rang me to ask me to come and do the job, which a lot of other coaches wouldn’t do,” Flanagan said on 2GB.
“He wanted me to come there because he sees me as an NRL coach and I’ve done it before and I’ve been in that position, and he wants someone to work beside him that’s had that experience.
“A lot of coaches would be intimidated by it.
“It’s a really good start, and he wants me to … coach like an NRL coach, and the club wants me to do that, as well.
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“The club wants me to get an NRL job, and if I do a really good job with Manly that will happen.”
Seibold signed a three-year deal to take over at Brookvale, recruiting both Flanagan and former Titans assistant Jim Dymock.
Following the pride jersey saga that derailed the Sea Eagles’ 2022 campaign, Des Hasler was sacked and chief executive Tony Mestrov has made a number of crunch decisions.
Mestrov also sacked Kristie Fulton, the daughter of Immortal Bob Fulton, who was in charge of the club’s elite pathways.
While a host of staff and players have left, Flanagan believes Manly’s roster for the 2023 season can cut it with the competition’s big guns.
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“Our back row is going to be (a strong point). (Haumole) Olakau’atu started last year, sort of burst onto the scene. He’s a quality edge back-rower,” Flanagan said.
“If you throw Jake (Trbojevic) at lock. Tom (Trbojevic) is at the back, and then we’ve got some really classy outside backs.
“So, I don’t see too many weaknesses, but what I do see is a side that can play football and score some points and has got speed and power.
“When you come into a side, me and Anthony Seibold coming into a club like this, usually … they’ve come last or down the bottom of the table and you come in and the roster needs a big change.
“Well, it definitely doesn’t need to change at Manly. We’ve got a good footy team ready to go this year, so I’d expect good things.”
