Trent Barrett has backed his right-hand man to replace him if the Manly coach departs the club after Sunday's clash with Brisbane.
The public fallout between the Sea Eagles' coach and NRL club's management suggests the current situation is untenable, with Barrett admitting there would be "some things to sort out" once they leave Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
Barrett wouldn't confirm it would be his last game in charge of the club but when asked on Saturday backed assistant and former Gold Coast mentor John Cartwright as a worthy replacement.
"Carty's a really good friend of mine, been there the whole time I have," Barrett said.
"John's a terrific coach and really good fella ... that's certainly not my call but there's things that still need to be worked out."
With club pride at stake on Sunday, Barrett is doing his best to take the spotlight away from his unstable predicament.
"There's been a lot said of my situation but I don't want that to be the focus of tomorrow," he said.
"There will be some things to sort out after this game but at the moment my main focus is the players and making sure we get a win.
"(The players) know where I stand ... what's said indoors is a little bit different to what we can say publicly."
Brisbane can finish as high as fifth and low as eighth depending on results during the next two days, although a win of more than 32 points would guarantee them a home final next weekend.
Manly sit 15th before Sunday's clash but boast a good record against the Broncos that includes a 38-24 defeat at the same venue earlier this season.
"(A repeat of that) would be nice. We enjoy playing up here," Barrett said.
"It's a different scenario again ... Brisbane have a hell of a lot to play for."
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