Reinstated coach Shane Flanagan says he will “definitely” return to former NRL club Cronulla but can’t see it happening any time soon.
Flanagan is tipped to make a comeback as St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor’s deputy next year after the NRL recently confirmed the ex-Sharks mentor is eligible for registration as an assistant for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Flanagan admitted he struggled for months to come to terms with his latest ban but said he was now ready to make his NRL return.
The 2016 Sharks premiership-winning mentor was suspended indefinitely in December last year after he was found to have broken the terms of his 2014 supplements scandal ban by communicating with Cronulla officials.
“It took a couple of months to stop blaming other people, and understand how I put myself in this position,” he told Nine Network’s 100% Footy.
“The first month or two was awful. I didn’t go out of the house for a while then there was the effect on the family.
“Family and friends got me through it. It was probably seven months of doing it really tough and then the clouds started to clear and I started to take a bit of ownership for what happened and started communications with (NRL CEO) Todd (Greenberg).
“I just need to start again now but be assured I will work very hard in whatever coaching role I am in the NRL.”
He said the ban was particularly hard on his son Kyle, who was on the Cronulla roster at the time.
Kyle Flanagan recently signed a two-year deal to link with Sydney Roosters from 2020.
“Who knows what would have happened if I was still coaching at the Sharks, Kyle could probably still be there,” Flanagan said.
Flanagan is eligible for registration from December 18 after speaking with Greenberg last Friday.
Asked if he hoped to one day return to Cronulla, Flanagan said: “Definitely one day but I wouldn’t say in the near future”.
Sharks great Paul Gallen hoped Flanagan would again hold the Cronulla reins.
“There is no reason why it can’t happen one day,” he told 100% Footy.
“But right now the Dragons (assistant role) is an obvious one. They have had a similar setup for a few years now and they have achieved nothing.”
McGregor is expected to keep the head coach’s job after Phil Gould held an end of season review.
Gould said Flanagan would be the ideal Dragons deputy.
“He is a premiership winning coach. Anyone looking for an assistant, he should be first one on the list,” Gould said.
