What’s the Buzz: Shane Flanagan’s plan to help Anthony Seibold fix fractured Manly team
Cronulla Sharks premiership-winning coach Shane Flanagan has spoken publicly for the first time since taking on a job as new Manly coach Anthony Seibold’s assistant.
November 12, 2022 - 8:00PM
Shane Flanagan says one of his NRL coaching strengths is being able to unite a playing group.
Just what the Manly Sea Eagles desperately need right now. The 2016 Cronulla Sharks premiership-winning coach is speaking for the first time since his appointment as understudy to Anthony Seibold.
Manly’s tumultuous 2022 season with the pride-jersey fiasco fractured the club. “One of my strengths is getting a group to come together,” Flanagan said. “We’ve got to come together as a club with one focus which is to win footy games.“Enjoy training, enjoy being around each other. That will bring wins. Footy is not that complicated but you’ve got to be happy.
”On Monday morning, Flanagan will arrive at Manly’s Narrabeen headquarters for his first shift.Seibold – still in the UK with the England rugby union team – will open the session via Zoom.Then Flanagan takes over with Jim Dymock until Seibold arrives home in early December. He said he would be implementing Seibold’s plan but adding his own touches.“Seibs told me when he first rang that he wanted a first-grade coach working alongside him,” Flanagan said. “He said he wanted me to think like a first-grade coach, be like a first-grade coach and the club will be a better place for it.“That was encouraging. He was really positive and he obviously thinks I can help him and the players.“I’ll start on Monday and get things running the way he wants it. I’ll put my style on it as well.”Flanagan said there were huge similarities to the Sharks. “A community-based footy team, passionate and proud supporters and the local suburban ground,” Flanagan said.“It’s why I’ve always admired Manly from a distance.“It’s super exciting. The two Trbojevic boys, Daly Cherry-Evans, Haumole Olakau’atu and a heap of other good players. There’s a lot of strike and strength across the whole team.“I don’t think Seibs wants to look back at what’s previously happened. We’re going to start fresh and do it our way.“We’ve both got a good picture of what we want it to look like. We’ll get cracking on Monday.”Flanagan signed a three-year deal with Manly but has a get-out clause to take on an NRL head-coaching job at the end of each season. He will also retain his roles in the media.“Manly were really good about it,” he said.
“I’ll still work for Fox Sports and 2GB when it doesn’t clash with Manly. It’s something I really enjoy and want to keep doing.” This is Flanagan’s first major opportunity since returning from a suspension. “I’ve made some mistakes but you’ve got to move on and learn,” he said.“I know I can coach. Every year at the Sharks, bar one, we made the semis and then won the comp. I think I helped turn them into a hard-nosed footy club.“They’re tough and they’re ruthless.“That’s the aim at Manly and there’s nothing stopping them.”His own future as a head coach can wait. “The more success we have at Manly will open doors,” Flanagan said. “That’s the goal – to be a head coach – but to help Manly before anything else.”
