Media from across the globe to be at Usain Bolt’s Central Coast Mariners unveiling
WHEN Matt Simon returned to his home A-League club this off-season he never once considered a local training run might attract a media contingent pushing 100.
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WHEN Matt Simon returned to his home A-League club this off-season he never once considered a local training run might attract a media contingent pushing 100.
Central Coast’s all-time leading scorer, affectionately known as the ‘Wizard of Woy Woy’, had long grown used to the small-town Gosford assembly of maybe one or two reporters — sometimes none.
Certainly nothing like the swarm of journalists, photographers and broadcasters set to turn out for for Usain Bolt’s official Mariners unveiling on Tuesday.
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Media from across Australia, along with the BBC, ESPN and even French newspaper L’Equipe have registered for the pre-season session at Central Coast Stadium, where coach Mike Mulvey will take his first real look at the sprint king’s football skills before joining his famous triallist at a press conference coinciding with his 32nd birthday.
“We didn’t think of that at the start of the pre-season,” Simon told the Daily Telegraph.
“I was lucky enough to meet him over the weekend and welcome him to the club. He’s a really nice guy and really relaxed.”
Simon was one of a select few to help Bolt settle in on Saturday night, joining the Jamaican for dinner alongside fellow player Kalifa Cisse, the club’s coaching staff and chief executive Shaun Mielekamp.
“Just to welcome him and talk to him about the club, the league and what he can expect at training,” Simon said.
“One thing I told him is the league’s quite physical. But he’s six-foot-five and an absolute giant, so he’s not going to have any issues there.
“He’s the world’s greatest athlete, it’s pretty amazing he’s going to be training with our team and we’re excited to see what he can do.”
Bolt stretched his legs on Monday, going for a light jog under the supervision of head of performance Andrew Young as he continues to shrug off the jet lag following his long-haul flight from Jamaica.
And just as the squad pinched themselves when they met him on Sunday, Simon experienced his own “surreal” moment the night before.
The striker, who’s returned for a third stint with the Mariners, was far from a sceptic to start with.
"If you're not running I'll tell you to take the hand brake off" 😂
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) August 19, 2018
The priceless moment when 'Banksy', our number one supporter, met @usainbolt! #CCMFC pic.twitter.com/0OcveMy2es
But he was won over by one particular conversation with the eight-time Olympic gold medallist and 100m and 200m world record-holder.
“He said me on Saturday that he just knew he was the fastest man in the world, and he just had to run that fast. He never doubted himself,” Simon said.
“He’s the best runner in the world, he believes that. You have to have that mentality to be that good.
“I think the whole world stopped to watch when he was competing, so it’s quite surreal he’s out here, seeing him in the flesh.
“He was a really humble guy, really calm and just chilled out. I can only see positive things from him being here.”
Bolt aside, Simon has bought into Mulvey’s vision for reviving last season’s wooden-spooners, having left for Sydney FC in 2015 during the tumultuous tenure of Tony Walmsley.
The Sky Blues offered him a contract to stay but the 32-year-old, who was part Sydney’s record-breaking squad largely as a bench player, made the difficult decision to be closer to family and get more game time.
“It’s a new era at the Mariners,” he said.
“Mike was massive about not looking back in the past, what’s happened over the last three to four years, but looking forward and building our own legacy.
“Good things are slowly happening.”
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