Anthony Seibold named Manly coach: First interview with new Sea Eagles boss
The ‘pride jersey’ split blamed for Manly’s embarrassing 2022 fadeout leaves speculation of a squad still divided over the saga - and new coach Anthony Seibold with a serious job on his hands.
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Incoming Manly coach Anthony Seibold insists he will not be motivated by a desire to prove people wrong, nor will he be driven by a fear that this is his last chance, as he prepares to take over from Des Hasler at the Sea Eagles.
Seibold has officially been announced as Manly coach, completing a stunning return to the NRL ranks.
And his only motivation, he insists, is to turn Manly into a premiership force and help the players that will be under his watch. Seibold, embedded in camp with the English rugby union side under Eddie Jones, will take charge of Manly once his commitments with England are over.
Premiership-winning former Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan will also be announced as an assistant alongside the experienced Jim Dymock. The Sea Eagles will start the pre-season under the pair’s guidance before Seibold returns at the end of November to begin his third coming as an NRL head coach.
He had success at South Sydney and led Brisbane to the finals in his first year, only for things to unravel in spectacular fashion at the end of his second season.
THE BRISBANE KNOCKOUT
Seibold was targeted by social media trolls at the Broncos as the club finished with the first wooden spoon in their history.
He has rebuilt his reputation working under Jones in the England set-up and insists he will take over Manly as a better coach.
“You learn from every experience,” Seibold said.
“We all make mistakes in life and I made plenty, whether it was the decision to leave South Sydney and the way it was done, to challenges in 2020 during that Covid period when we didn’t get it right (at the Broncos).
“Ultimately 2020 was a challenging year and the club had a really tough time that year. There were some challenges that came my way at Brisbane, external and internal.
“I have been through a fair bit. One thing I am proud of is I got knocked down on the canvas – probably got knocked out if you are using the boxing analogy – but I have got back in the ring and I feel as though I have something to offer as a coach.”
CAREER CROSSROADS
Seibold bristles at suggestions he is on his last chance as an NRL head coach. He went through hell at the Broncos and that experience overshadowed what he did at South Sydney, where he guided the club to the preliminary final and won the Dally M coach of the year.
Jones had sufficient faith in Seibold to appoint him as one of his senior assistants and he will join Manly with his focus wholly and solely on returning Manly to their former glories.
“It depends how you want to be judged,” Seibold said when asked if it was make or break.
“If I am on my deathbed and I am being judged as a footy coach, then I haven’t been successful in other areas of my life.
“It depends how you see it. I reckon I have shown that I am a survivor. Not a lot of people would have thought I could go to international rugby union and help that group grow.
“Probably there were probably plenty of people that didn’t think I could come back and be a head coach in the NRL. But I am not going in to try to prove people wrong at all because that is not motivation.
“The motivation is to go in there to prove people right. I have been given some wonderful opportunities as a coach and this is another wonderful opportunity.
“That is my mentality. I want to get better as a coach. I want to help others to get better. That’s what I love about it. I love that team – that five minutes after a win, there is nothing better than that experience.
“It is a common goal you have worked for all week. I love the planning and everything that goes into it. But I reckon one thing I learned is that it is about relationships. I didn’t get that right in Brissie.”
WORKING WITH EDDIE
Jones is one of the pre-eminent coaches in world sport and Seibold is full of praise for a man who has helped reignite his love of coaching.
There has been speculation that he may attempt to involve Jones at Manly and Seibold insists the Sea Eagles would be fortunate to have someone of Jones’ ilk involved.
“Look Eddie was really excited for me to get an opportunity,” Seibold said.
“One of the things the great coaches do really well is they want their assistant coaches to be better and they want their assistant coaches to get opportunities as a head coach.
“That is what Eddie said to me – he was really complementary in the role I have played here over the last 16 months and felt as though I deserved the opportunity.
“He has been super supportive and a fantastic mentor.”
Asked whether he would try to get Jones involved at Manly, Seibold said: “The thing is I think people like Eddie Jones and Michael Cheika would have so much to offer the NRL.
“I think one of the things I learnt from international rugby was how big of a game rugby union is worldwide.
“We know AFL and NRL have a greater supporter and TV presence in Australia but the game worldwide is enormous.
“It really is like a State of Origin every week. Those very elite coaches like Eddie and [Michael] Cheika, who not only have a love for rugby union but rugby league, those guys in whatever capacity or whatever role would be absolute gold for people.
“It would be just hard to get those guys back but they would have a lot to give a team in whatever capacity it was.”
THE PLAYERS
Seibold has spoken to Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic. He has also exchanged text messages with Jake Trbojevic, who is in camp with the Kangaroos in England.
Seibold already has a relationship with the trio, having worked with them when he was an assistant coach at the club, and all three will be crucial as he attempts to turn around Manly.
“I had strong leaders at Souths … I really valued their relationship,” Seibold said.
“We were able to turn the club around in a season there – to finish 12th and then be half a game away from the grand final.
“It is a collaboration these days.The head coach as a dictator is long gone. Your leaders are key – strong, senior leaders in your playing group are key.”
As excited as he is to work with Manly’s big three, he is equally enthused at getting his hands on some of Manly’s young stars. Among them is Josh Schuster, a player Seibold has already contacted to offer him any support he needs.
“I have spoken to Josh Schuster a number of times now and he has talent – the challenge is how he transfers that talent to the NRL,” Seibold said.
“In the first instance it is about getting to know the guys, it is about building trust and building that relationship, not just myself but the new staff and the players.”
Asked whether he thought Schuster could cut it as a five-eighth in the NRL, Seibold said: “He can be, definitely.
“I have been watching him play since he was 14 or 15, when he was first signed to Manly. He has great talent, great ability.
“I spoke to Josh just to see what support he needs. He was very, very good in his debut season in the NRL.
“He had a challenging season this year. One of the things I reckon I have learnt is players have to take ownership of their own careers as well.
“That is one of the things I encourage all players in the NRL – take charge of your career because it goes so quick.
“He is working hard from what I understand. Talking to him he has that desire to get better and that is what you want in a player. He probably has a point to prove after a tough season last year.”
THE DES LEGACY
Seibold hasn’t spoken to Des Hasler but he plans to at some point. Having experienced the perils of coaching himself, he can empathise with what Hasler has gone through in recent weeks.
“I haven’t spoken to Des,” Seibold said.
“I don’t know Des that well – I have met him once or twice. When the time is right I will certainly reach out to Des.
“I am very respectful of what Des has done at the club and the legacy he has left.”
Seibold insists he returns to the NRL a better coach. He has been through the wringer but he has learned lessons and won’t try to clone what Hasler did at Manly.
“I feel as though I brought a fair bit to South Sydney in the year I coached them,” he said.
“For whatever reason it didn’t work in Brisbane but what do you do? You either give it away – I think that is actually failing.
“You have to learn from your mistakes. I have learned plenty. I am human – you don’t always get things right.
“I could have handled things differently at different times. I am sure plenty of other people around me could have handled things differently as well, but I come with optimism.
“I don’t come with thinking I can’t add to the group or add to the club. I certainly came better prepared.”
PRIDE SPLIT
Seibold is reluctant to buy into talk that there is a divide in the Manly playing group over the Pride jersey scandal. The Sea Eagles lost seven games to end last season and the World Cup has given the players a chance to speak about their decision.
Seibold would prefer to reserve his judgment until he gets his hands on the players and takes a good look at what is under the bonnet at Manly.
“One thing I have learnt is not to always believe what you read,” he said.
“Call me naive, but I go in there with optimism about the group and where we can take the group. One thing you do is learn lessons from the past, but if you keep looking back you don’t focus on the now.
“I will go in there and look at things through clear eyes rather than what I have been told or read.”
He is also quick to dismiss suggestions Manly is a political hotbed, having been involved previously as an assistant and more lately as a fan – he lives on Sydney’s northern beaches with his family.
“It wasn’t my experience,” he said.
“I have great faith in Scott Penn and the Penn family. There were some really good people who I have already met through the club, whether they are on the board or connected to the club.
“I think (chief executive) Tony Mestrov has shown he is a strong leader of good character, Again, I don’t go in there with any preconceived ideas.
“If I had any concerns about the club, I wouldn’t have taken the opportunity. I am excited mate. I feel part of the community.
“I didn’t play for the club but I am proud and humbled to be asked to be the head coach. I am going in there for the right reasons and it is not because of the convenience of home.
“I go there because I feel as though it is the right club at the right time for me and my career. I will give everything I have got to help the group grow and get better.”
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Originally published as Anthony Seibold named Manly coach: First interview with new Sea Eagles boss
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