St George Illawarra assistant coach Shane Flanagan has spoken for the first time since serving a 12-month ban from the NRL.
Former Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan has spoken for the first time since serving a 12-month NRL ban, saying it hurt not to be able to do what he loves.
Making no secret of his ambition to return as a head coach, the 54-year-old said the year-long break was a “tough period” but he has wiped the slate clean with the Dragons in 2020.
“This is what I do for a profession, I’ve done it all my life. To not be able to get up in the morning and do what you love doing and being around footy players and a footy club, when you’ve done it all your life and you can’t do it, it hurts,” he said on Thursday.
In 2018 Flanagan was handed an indefinite ban by the NRL for breaching terms of a previous ban back in 2014 when Cronulla was in the grips of a salary cap scandal.
He was granted permission to seek registration as an assistant coach for the next two seasons, with no guarantee or return date to head coaching duties in the future.
The 2016 premiership-winning coach said he didn’t consider any coaching positions overseas because he didn’t want to be on the other side of the world watching while his son Kyle played NRL with the Roosters in 2020.
He reiterated his ambitions to return to the NRL as a head coach.
“A hundred per cent, that’s what I want to do,” he said.
“When and where that opportunity comes time will tell but that’s what I feel I do for a profession and at some point I’ll be back.”
Should he return to a head coaching position, Flanagan took issue with suggestions he would need to make changes to his coaching style or professional conduct.
“This is something that happened a long, long time ago. I paid the price for it last year,” he said.
“I changed after that, the change happened a long, long time ago. My coaching is not going to change.
“I think I’ve got the runs on the board over those periods. Every side that I’ve coached has been in the semi-finals or won a grand final, so that’s not an issue. Why I was suspended was a long time ago.”
Flanagan spent 2019 watching NRL as a spectator, paying particular attention to the Sharks.
Although he refused to elaborate on the emotional rollercoaster he endured over that period, he said it “wasn’t good” for himself, nor his family.
For now, he’s enjoying playing assistant to Dragons coach Paul McGregor, taking charge of the side’s defence and leaving work at the office at the end of the day.
“It’s a little bit different to being the head coach which is nearly a 24/7 job,” he said.
“We just get on with it. Life throws up a lot of different challenges and I’ve just got to deal with this one.”
mushi
Roar Guru
Or a holiday in Hawaii
mushi
Roar Guru
The NRL are facilitators of this though, there's a reason more NRL clubs have been found guilty of systemic abuse than the AFL, NBA, NFLand NHL combined despite less money on the line. We encourage it. This decision just highlights the trend - just cheat baby
Albo
Roar Rookie
It's seems to be a testing time for Shire fans at present, souvalis ! The typically selective Cronullaphobes are out in force now , already blaming your number 1 ticket holder for the bushfires, bagging your match winners for a drop in form during 2019, and attacking your club "kultcha" . But its nothing that a few days of rain, and a couple of magic moments from Johnson, Moylan & Fifita in the the early rounds ahead, that won't change all that.
Marek
Roar Rookie
This could be one of the best partnerships in the NRL in 2020.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
I’m with you.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
He’ll make his way back to the Sharks. I don’t think Morris will have a good year, and Flanagan will be there in 2021. Dragons - well that’s another story. Got them in my bottom 4 this year. Poor recruitment, suspect coach, JDB case will impact and I just don’t think joint ventures work well as they struggle for identity. Sorry Dragon fans.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Flanagan was initially suspended for governance failings and totally exonerated of any direct involvement with peptides..two years later he wins the club their first ever premiership and haven’t missed the playoffs since,what price are they still paying ? And don’t know how you can have a ‘non accountability’ for a salary cap aversion and inappropriate attendance at a game objective conversation and not include the Bennett and Gee rort..hopefully you’re saving that for another day.
Paul
Roar Guru
you may well be right but the NRL doesn't see it that way, so a Club needing a guy who can coach teams to success would still need to decide whether to take a punt with Flanagan. I'd be willing to bet he's with a team straight after his senior coaching ban expires - rightly or wrongly.
tisme
Guest
he's a 3 time rule breaker & it should be 3 strikes you're out....
Rob
Guest
Flanagan should have copped a life ban. He's cheated the sport using performance enhancing drugs, flaunted the Salary cap, completely ignored the NRL sanctions for his rule breaking and yet he still believes he should be a head coach? I'd be absolutely filth if my club entertained the thought of giving him a coaching position. I certainly wouldn't like children being mentored by this shallow individual. His disrespect for his opponents and officials, should not be something the game embarrasses. The definition of grub IMO.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
I don't think he can coach until 2021. Mary will fail as he's had 5 years to prove himself and has done nothing. Succession plan with Matt Head taking over mid 2020 when Mary is finally sacked. Flanno takes over for 2021
Paul
Roar Guru
You've decided Flanagan "broke the rules of the game in one of the worst ways", but clearly the NRL does not think the same, otherwise they'd not have given him a lifeline.. At the end of the day though, surely it's up to each NRL Club to decide whether they want Flanagan to head their coaching staff? They all know what he's done and they have to make a call on whether the coaching skills he brings to the table are a) what that Club needs and b) are more important and valuable than the baggage he's carrying? If a Club thinks they can manage the baggage, he certainly has undeniable coaching skills, so why wouldn't they try him out? Whether that's enough to satisfy fans - I guess we'll see in a couple of seasons.
Nat
Roar Guru
Is that what you took out of that? I watched the interview yesterday and I couldn't see any accountability - just like his coachimg days. Is "a long, long time ago" back dating to the first time he dragged his club through the mud with Danks or right up to the current cap restrictions imposed by the NRL because of him. I'm glad he has moved on but the club is still paying the price.
Brendon
Roar Rookie
I can't fathom how any professional organisation can publically suspend a person, have that person deliberately break the rules of the suspension, indefinitely suspend that person and still even consider allowing him back to his original job.... Shane Flanagan broke the rules of the game in one of the worst ways, then ignored the punishment and did what he wanted anyway. He should never be allowed near an NRL game again, let alone as a head coach.
Dutski
Roar Guru
It’s that tremendous level of insight that got him into trouble in the first place. Good luck mate, but it’s a brave or desperate club that’d go there.
Doug Graves
Guest
Mary McGregor not available for comment......