Cronulla Sharks stand down coach Shane Flanagan, name Bruno Cullen as interim CEO

EX-BRONCOS boss Bruno Cullen has been called in to take control of the Sharks following a dramatic day that saw coach Shane Flanagan stood down.

EX-BRONCOS boss Bruno Cullen has been called in to take control of the Cronulla Sharks following a dramatic day that saw coach Shane Flanagan stood down as the drug scandal widened.

Flanagan phoned The Daily Telegraph to reveal he was no longer in charge of the team, while a number of senior support staff also had their contracts terminated.

At a hastily called press conference this evening, Sharks deputy chairman Keith Ward and former ASADA deputy chair Tricia Kavanagh said they had to stand Flanagan down while an investigation into the club's activities concerning controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank continued.

"The reason he was stood down was because he was an integral part of the management team ... during the period Dank was associated with the club," Kavanagh said.

Kavanagh has been assisting the Sharks with their investigation and legal review of club activities during a period in 2011 when Dank worked with the club that is the subject of a current ASADA investigation. 

Flanagan

The Cronulla board also sacked football general manager Darren Mooney, head trainer Mark Noakes, physiotherapist Konrad Schulz and long-serving medico, team doctor Dave Givney, who is also the NSW State of Origin team's medical officer.

Givney was the man who raised concerns about sport scientist Steven Dank, which led to Flanagan parting company with him.

“I’m shattered,” Flanagan said.

“None of us had any knowledge of what was happening.”

"I've got the support of the players here. I still believe that the players have not done anything wrong.

"I don't oversee anything. My involvement, I've got no idea, bar being coach at the time.''

Peter Sharp will take control of the team when Cronulla take on the Titans on Sunday and Ward confirmed no players would be stood down.

NRL CEO Dave Smith threw his support behind Cronulla's appointment of Cullen, who served as Broncos CEO from 2003-2010 - a tenure that included the 2006 premiership.

“Bruno has the skill and track record to successfully help the board get through this difficult time," Smith said.

“He is regarded across all sporting codes as one of Australia’s best sports administrators and club leaders.”

Flanagan joined the Sharks as an assistant in 2006 and took the helm when Ricky Stuart resigned in July, 2010.

He went on to post a record of 21 wins in 56 matches in the top grade. Flanagan also played an integral role in bringing troubled star Todd Carney to the club.

Sharks offered cash to sit out season

After recruiting impressively during the off-season with the likes of Luke Lewis, Michael Gordon and Beau Ryan joining the club, the Sharks were seen as genuine premiership contenders but their season now lies in tatters.

Interim coach Sharp, formerly head coach of the Northern Eagles and Manly Sea Eagles, joined the Sharks as an assistant at the end of the 2011 season.

Flanagan was questioned by ASADA officials earlier today over the Sharks drug scandal - a saga that has engulfed the sport.

And earlier this week, senior players Paul Gallen, Ben Pomeroy and John Morris confronted ex-Cronulla head conditioner Trent Elkin wanting answers after they had been summoned to an extraordinary meeting where sports lawyer and ex-ASADA senior counsel Richard Redman had advised a group of 14 players to plead guilty and accept six-month suspensions.

Today's development happened as the NRL players association finally went public to support the game’s stars.

The chief executive of the Rugby League Players Association David Garnsey said that anti-doping authorities must take into account the reality of the status of footballers as employees when determining culpability for doping offences.

“Rugby league players ultimately place their trust in those who are in positions of knowledge and authority at their clubs and, as employees, follow the directions of their employers,” he said.