‘Anything is possible’: Usain Bolt officially joins Central Coast Mariners, eyes A-League start

THE deal is done, the hurdles overcome, and 10 days from now Central Coast Mariners will welcome eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt to the A-League on a new and improved arrangement.

Usain Bolt is heading Down Under.

THE deal is done, the hurdles overcome, and 10 days from now Usain Bolt will be strolling down Gosford’s main street.

Two weeks after revealing the fastest man in history was on the verge of a shock A-League trial, The Daily Telegraph can confirm he will indeed be put through his paces with the Central Coast Mariners this month.

But in a twist, Bolt will swap the initially negotiated six-week trial for an indefinite training stint to allow the Jamaican sprint king more time to develop without the pressure of a make-or-break appraisal.

Usain Bolt is heading Down Under.

Since going public with their plans last month, the Mariners have decided on an arrangement to keep Bolt on board for as long as it takes to prove he’s worthy of a contract, be that at the start of the season or some months into it.

If he never makes the cut — unsuccessful trials elsewhere suggest there’s no guarantee he will — the exercise will have proved its worth in publicity.

“I am very excited about coming to Australia and would like to thank the owner and management of the Central Coast Mariners for giving me this opportunity”

But both parties are hopeful the eight-time Olympic gold medallist and 100m and 200m world record-holder can show enough to realise the football dream he’s coveted since retiring from athletics last year.

Should that be the case, Football Federation Australia has said it would, in some capacity, assist the Mariners in financing what would be a multimillion-dollar deal.

Usain Bolt is the fastest man on the planet.

We’re set to welcome @usainbolt to @CCMariners for an indefinite training period. Let’s hear from the world’s fastest man.

Read more âš¡ https://t.co/kOtlPUPWz8 #CCMFC pic.twitter.com/LsSxYLSbhl

— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) August 7, 2018

The Mariners staved off competition from other clubs, most notably new US franchise Austin Bold FC, since going public with their bid to bring Bolt to Australia.

Bolt is due to arrive on August 18 and is then set to start training with the Mariners on August 21.

WAR: FIFA pushes to break A-League away from FFA

“I am very excited about coming to Australia and would like to thank the owner and management of the Central Coast Mariners for giving me this opportunity,” Bolt said.

“It has been my dream to play professional football and I know that it will involve a lot of hard work and training to get to the level required to play and make an impact in the A-League.

Usain Bolt during a Legends Game. Picture: Getty

“When I spoke to the head coach Mike Mulvey on the phone he outlined the ambitions of the club and his plans for the upcoming season.

“I hope I can make a positive contribution to the club and look forward to meeting the other players, staff and fans in the coming weeks.

“I always say that ‘anything is possible, don’t think limits’ and I look forward to the challenge.”

Bolt is believed to have stuck to a training regime under the supervision of his physio back home in Jamaica.

Once in Australia he’ll be handed straight over to the Mariners’ strength and conditioning department to assess his level of fitness and physicality.

If up to scratch a decision will be made on whether he’s ready to play in some unusually lucrative pre-season matches — it’s understood a couple of potential such games have been flagged.

However the club is loath to give the impression they have blindly signed Bolt without properly evaluating his footballing capabilities.

From that perspective, fans are unlikely to see the 195cm left-footer doing drills in a jersey bearing the number 9.58 — a reference to his 100m world-record time — as he did for the Soccer Aid for UNICEF match at Old Trafford and during a trial with Norwegian side Stromsgodset. He also trialled with Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund though neither club offered him a contract.

Usain Bolt is a diehard Manchester United fan. Picture: Getty

Whether he can achieve a different outcome here will hinge on his ability to sufficiently impress Mulvey and new football director Mike Phelan, a former player and coach at Bolt’s all-time favourite club Manchester United.

Mariners chief executive Shaun Mielekamp hoped Central Coast could develop Bolt into a professional player.

“It is important that we don’t get too caught up in the hype of possibilities, but the reality is that Usain Bolt has placed his faith in the Central Coast Mariners to accelerate his football journey,” Mielekamp said.

“Whilst we all know this must be tempered with the reality that there is a job to do and hard work ahead, we are committed to building a team that will win matches and instil belief.

“Hopefully Usain can help us on this mission.”

Originally published as ‘Anything is possible’: Usain Bolt officially joins Central Coast Mariners, eyes A-League start