Former Cronulla Sharks' premiership-winning coach Shane Flanagan has opened up on his hopes to return to the NRL.
Flanagan was head coach of the Sharks to win between 2010 and 2013 before being suspended for a season over the infamous supplements program at the club.
He returned to the job in 2015 and coached the Sharks to their maiden title in 2016, but would be suspended again at the end of the 2018 season after failing to adhere to the conditions of his suspension in 2014.
It was revealed at the time that he had made contact with the club when he wasn't allowed to.
The coach then returned under strict conditions as an assistant at the St George Illawarra Dragons in Paul McGregor's staff, with Flanagan not able to resume head coaching until 2022.
However, that time has now arrived and speaking on SEN Radio Flanagan said he wants to return to a top job in the NRL.
“I do want to get back in coaching (at NRL level),” Flanagan said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“My time will come I guess, I just have to wait and see what happens
“I’m enjoying my time with Fox, I’m also doing a bit of radio and such.
“We’ll see what happens there, but it’s something that I enjoy and I’d love to win another competition, that’s my goal.
“In the next couple of years, I’ll probably get an opportunity and I’ll need to make the most of it.”
There are plenty of coaches who will enter the 2022 season under pressure, and with a suitable replacement like Flanagan waiting in the wings, a club could pull the trigger if a team gets off to a poor start.
All of Michael Maguire at the Wests Tigers, Trent Barrett at the Canterbury Bulldogs, Kevin Walters at the Brisbane Broncos and Anthony Griffin at the St George Illawarra Dragons, among others, will be under the pump from the opening kick-off of the new season.
