Paul Kent: Why Manly are desperate to end Shane Flanagan’s coaching exile

Shane Flanagan is being courted by Manly to be their new coach. Anthony Seibold wants to lure Flanaghan to join him as his assistant. Flangan was sacked by the Broncos. He is regarded as essential to helping Seiberold succeed.

Shane Flanagan is out of work and Manly want to appoint him as their next head coach.

Shane Flanagan is out of a job. Des Hasler was sacked at Manly a week ago. Canterbury hired Cameron Ciraldo and the Warriors hired Andrew Webster. Wests Tigers appointed Tim Sheens for two seasons. The Tigers have hired Benji Marshall. Flanaghan was caught cheating while he was suspended for cheating. He was also caught communicating with the club while serving his suspension for the peptide scandal.

Flanagan is one of the best NRL coaches currently without a job. He took over the Sharks near the end of 2010 and took them to the finals in his second season. In 2016 he was deregistered for his third offence. Flanagan has been back for three seasons now, eligible to coach. Despite being sacked at nine clubs in that time, he has failed to get a start at them all. Seibold has leapfrogged him into the Manly job, and Flangan is currently running the roster management at St George Illawarra. Anthony Griffin needs a strong start to next season to save his job at the Dragons.

Manly is looking for a new coach. They consider Flanagan, but he's not right for the job. Seibold failed at Brisbane because he didn't have a senior figure like Shane Richardson. Flangan is right to be that figure. Peter Kogoy was a sports journalist. He was kinder to others than to himself. He died last week. His colleagues miss him. The club overlooks him because of that. Manly needs someone like Richardson to help Seibert. It's the same reason they don't consider him for this job, because they think he isn't right. For them, Flanaghan is better for other clubs.