Hiring a New Head Coach: Here are the facts, and others on here can confirm this or look it up on the FDOE, Manatee County is awful at paying teachers. Salaries are below average for the state and below the average in the surrounding counties. Sarasota County is $7,000 more on average than Manatee. That’s absurd. And you wonder why coaches won’t leave a school to come to Manatee? I know teachers who got $10,000 raises when they went to Sarasota County. That’s not even the worse part. Manatee County only accepts 8 years when you transfer in. So a guy teaching for 20 years in FL is going to drop to a salary of an 8 year teacher? Its insane. So before people go posting on articles in the paper they should know facts. The program isn’t in disarray and candidates didn’t withdraw because they thought the program was “F’d” up, it’s the fact that Manatee County doesn’t support its teachers well enough. That is not a reflection on the Manatee Football Program though. It’s the cards we were dealt. Some BIG time coaches were extremely interested in the job but just couldn’t do it. I spoke to some personally. And yes boosters had money but that doesn’t help when you lose your years in retirement coming into this county.
Whether or not Shakir will be successful only time will tell. But I will say this, on the list of applicants, there was only 1 guy who was a HC and won a state title. Winning state titles doesn’t happen all the time. Shakir inherited a great program yes, but that program wasn’t state title winner every year before he took it over. 99 and 01 they won titles, and 06 and 08 they were runner up. He then took over in 2009 and in 4 years won a title and had a runner up. Since 2013, Lincoln lost to the team in the playoffs that went to the finals 2/4 years. Football is cyclical. Look at Manatee in mid to late 90s. We had some dull years. It happens. In 08 we didnt make playoffs to come back in 09 and make it to State Final. Doesn’t mean Coach Kinnan and his staff were all of a sudden terrible? Sometimes the talent level isn’t as good as years before. Doesn’t mean the coach isn’t putting in the time and leading the team with the best of his abilities. I think Shakir has the abilities to be successful at Manatee. I know this; he embraces the history of the program. He has already embraced it and knows whom to reach out to etc.
As a Hurricane Alum and past player and past coach of this storied program, I am going to support Coach Shakir and the players especially. We all lose sight of what they give to the program. A lot of time and energy is spent inside the weight room and locker room for these young men. I am grateful they are at Manatee and are adding to the legacy.
Cane Pride Never Dies! Go Canes Go!
Now Gatorman, Why are you still saying Go Canes Go and having the MHS helmet as your profile pic? You clearly are not a supporter. You have bitched on here for years about Manatee football and are always negative. Shoot back in 2009-2012, one of our greatest runs in program history; you bitched about Joe and other things about the program. A true fan supports the program. I don’t mean you can’t have a different opinion from the powers at be, but lets not be a cancer. Support the program, and honestly you don’t support the program. 1) You do not donate to Boosters to help with the cost to run the program. 2) You do not give your time to the program. You have not volunteered coached or held chains at a game. So truly, are you a supporter? Look at what you posted on Bradenton Herald. Negative comments. AGAIN. Why? The Manatee Football FB page is meant to support the student athletes and program, not for you to have another platform to be miserable on. You come on here and think you “know” the program yet don’t even live anywhere near it. You do not come to practice and see what the team is like, so how can you “know” so much. At least some of the posters on here actually live in their area and know some guys on staff and talk with them about their program. Tom, I know your comeback will be how bad of a coach you think I was but here’s the thing, I put my time and energy into it and hopefully effected young men and made them better people. You have no clue what its like coaching because you never have coached. You are an internet tough guy who throws his opinions out there and they really don’t matter because you don’t support the program. I look forward to stepping away from teaching and coaching and SUPPORTING the booster club and the program in different ways. Maybe you should think about doing the same.