Former Gold Coast Chargers coach and childhood Manly fan Phil Economidis has confirmed he's interested in the Sea Eagles head coaching job next season.

Current Manly assistant Des Hasler is the odds-on favourite for the job, which will become vacant at the end of the season when Peter Sharp stands down.

However, Economidis became the first former coach to publicly throw his hat in the ring.

Economidis, named ARL coach of the year in 1997 after guiding the Chargers to the finals, has been out of the NRL since the Gold Coast closed its doors at the end of 1998.

The affable Economidis was interviewed for the South Sydney job earlier this year, but was pipped by Paul Langmack.

"I was always a Manly fan as a kid," Economidis said.

"I had Wombat (former Manly and Australian fullback Graham Eadie) as my assistant coach at the Chargers.

"It's always been an ambition to coach at a club like Manly.

"I think my career was cut short by the demise of the Chargers and I still have things I want to achieve in life.

"I still have the fire in the belly. I just need the door to open. I am sure I can make a difference there (at Manly)."

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