Manly Sea Eagles, Anthony Seibold, head coach, contract, Shane Flanagan, Jim Dymock, 2GB radio
Anthony Seibold made a point of Shane Flanagan’s time in the cauldron that is NRL head coaching when he rang him to offer a job at Manly, the former Cronulla mentor has revealed.
Flanagan, who’s scored a gig as an assistant to Seibold at Manly in the wake of Des Hasler’s axing, said he appreciated what Seibold said greatly.
“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 … 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,” Flanagan said on 2GB’s Wide World of Sports radio.
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“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.
“The club wants me to get an NRL job, and if I do a really good job with Manly that will happen.”
Seibold inked a three-year deal to be Manly’s head coach, and Flanagan and Jim Dymock penned three-year assistant contracts.
The three men have taken control of a Manly squad that tumbled out of the top eight and failed to qualify for finals footy in extraordinary fashion in 2022.
The Sea Eagles, who finished in 11th on the ladder, lost their last eight games of the season, with seven of those matches coming after the pride jersey saga.
But Flanagan has huge confidence in Manly’s roster as an intriguing 2023 campaign looms.
“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.”
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