Central Coast Mariners in race to sign Usain Bolt in the face of offer from European club
CENTRAL Coast may have to move fast if they are to sign Usain Bolt, with revelations a European club has come in with a no-strings-attached offer for the Jamaican football aspirant.
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CENTRAL Coast may have to move fast if they are to sign Usain Bolt, with revelations a southern European club has come in with a no-strings-attached offer for the Jamaican football aspirant.
The Daily Telegraph understands Bolt has been made a formal two-year offer to join Maltese side Valetta and even play in the team’s upcoming cup final.
The top-flight frontrunner has recently been acquired by ambitious investors with aspirations of qualifying for the group stages of the European Champions League.
It’s understood the in-writing approach, which comes with attached commercial incentives, was made over the weekend after Bolt scored a brace in Friday night’s full Mariners debut against a Macarthur South West United team of NPL talent.
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Unlike his past attempts to make it as a professional, and indeed his current “indefinite training period” at the Mariners, this deal would not require a trial.
It throws into sharp relief the 32-year-old’s situation at the Mariners, as the A-League club awaits confirmation from Football Federation Australia on how much and in what manner it is willing to contribute to a prospective $3 million A-League contract.
Here it is, @usainbolt, the footballer, scores his maiden Mariners goal. What a moment! Don't think limits! âš¡ï¸ #SWSvCCM #CCMFC 🎥@FOXFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/X7zrqmrYCZ
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) October 12, 2018
Bolt’s maiden goal, an impressive finish despite his overall elementary display, quickly went viral and was viewed more than six million times on Central Coast’s Twitter account.
Since arriving in Gosford two months ago the Mariners have reached a global audience of more than 500 million people courtesy of the world’s fastest man, bringing the A-League an unprecedented level of pre-season exposure.
After Friday’s game, Mariners coach Mike Mulvey praised Bolt’s hard work and improvement but reiterated his footballing attributes could not be properly judge until January.
However it’s believed the spike in attention, along with Bolt’s desire for clarification over his future at the club, has brought forward negotiations.
As previously reported by The Telegraph, Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth is willing to front up a large chunk of any contract but is hoping FFA tip in the remaining sum.
The key now is the governing body, who acknowledged the effervescent sprint star’s powerful marketing power but emphasised the ultimate responsibility lay with Central Coast.
“The ball’s still in the Mariners’ and Usain’s court,” FFA chief executive David Gallop said.
“It was great to see him do well last Friday night. He’s worked hard over the last few months and that’s great credit to him and the Mariners’ staff.
“Whether they’re ready to take that next step and sign a contract is still very much their call. “Having said that, we’ve indicated in the past that if they do take that step we will look to see how we can feasibly help them financially.”
Gallop said any contribution would “not necessarily (come from) the marque fund”.
“But I think there would still be sponsorship and broadcaster interest we would need to discuss,” he said.
“More likely an ad hoc arrangement. We wouldn’t mistake it with the marquee player fund.
“There’s a delineation between proven footballers being enticed to play in the A-League or W-League when they could play anywhere in the world, as opposed to someone who’s a world champion in another sport trying to great into the professional football ranks in Australia.
“The metrics would be a reason why an ad hoc arrangement is something we’d have to look seriously at.”
Bolt’s venture into the round-ball game has polarised opinion, with detractors aplenty but Matildas superstar Sam Kerr among his many supporters.
New Mariners teammate Tommy Oar felt his was not a case of measuring a players’ worth purely on footballing merits.
“He’s an exception to the rule,” Oar said.
“If you look at the amount of excitement he’s created in the country since he’s been here, the amount of attention he’s given to the league, and the fact that he’s working so hard and there for all the right reasons, I just don’t see how you can see it in a negative way.
“If it was the other way around and he was here just for a last pay cheque or something, but that’s not the case.
“He’s one of the first at training and he’s training harder than anyone, it’s like he’s got a point to prove.
“In the two weeks I’ve been there I’ve seen such a big improvement in his football.”
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