Sharks coach Shane Flanagan opens up: ‘I owe the game an apology’

SHANE Flanagan’s controversial spray after a damning finals loss cost the coach $30,000 — and now he has a message for fans.

Shane Flanagan has apologised to fans.

CRONULLA coach Shange Flanagan has sent out an open letter to fans apologising for his behaviour after the Sharks’ elimination final loss against the North Queensland Cowboys in the first week of NRL finals.

The 51-year-old came to the post-match press conference with a pre-prepared list of grievances and slammed the referees in a heated rant. The devastated coach joined Manly coach Trent Barrett in a disappointing weekend of blaming refs after both spiralling out of the season.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg called for more maturity from the game’s coaches after the back-to-back blow-ups, claiming an ugly culture had gripped the sport.

“Unfortunately in this game we’ve developed a culture of blaming match officials for a loss,” Greenberg said.

“It sets a terrible example to fans and a terrible example to grassroots and it’s got to stop. It’s time for the game to grow up.”

Flanagan in particular copped it after his rant last Sunday. The veteran coach was labelled “pathetic” and “classless” for shifting the blame away from his obviously underperforming Sharks pack and was hit with a $30,000 fine for his comments.

Shane Flanagan has apologised to fans for his rant after losing to the Cowboys.

The 51-year-old posted his apology to the Sharks’ website Monday afternoon, claiming the team’s on-field performance was far from the standard required and ultimately lost them their chance at a consecutive premiership.

“We all know what happened after the loss to the Cowboys,” he wrote. “In the post-match press conference, I was asked about the performance of the match officials.

“I owe you an apology. I owe the game an apology. I’m sorry for the way I reacted.

“I’m writing this note to you because I reckon if you support this great Club, you’d know the type of person I am.

“If I believe in something, I very rarely keep that belief secret. My answers in that press conference were born out of honesty and the disappointment of a shattered dressing room.”

Flanagan said he had to learn from the unfrotunate saga and claimed all his energy is focused on the Sharks bringing home their second premiership in 2018.

“What I need to do is learn from my mistake to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” he said. “That’s intersting that line actually, “learn, so it doesn’t happen again.’”

“That sentiment will be critical for our Club in 2018. We need to be smarter and more disciplined than ever before.

“We need to respond. That means me, my staff, our players, our board, our administration and hopefully you.”