A-League: Usain Bolt still wants to fight for a contract with the Central Coast Mariners

The Jamaican superstar has told the Mariners he wants to stay in Australia and fight legitimately for a contract.

Eight-time Olympic sprinting gold medallist Usain Bolt leaves following a training session with the Central Coast Mariners. Picture: AAP

Usain Bolt has instructed his management to knock back the chance to take up an immediate professional contract with a club in Malta in a bid to prove himself in the A-League.

The Jamaican superstar confirmed the decision today, telling Central Coast chief executive Shaun Mielekamp that he wants to stay in Australia and fight legitimately for a contract with the Mariners.

Club sources confirmed that Bolt had met with Mielekamp today and told him of his decision over a coffee. Mielekamp was unavailable for comment.

There were suggestions Bolt would take up a deal with Maltese Premier League club Valletta FC after the jumped in with an unconditional two plus one year offer that would not require him to trial.

Backed by a Middle Eastern consortium which recently took over Valletta, the club is understood to have offered him a lucrative deal.

Bolt’s manager also confirmed the decision to reject the Valletta offer.

“There is a lot of interest in Usain playing football,” Ricky Simms told ESPN. “We regularly receive similar approaches. I can confirm Usain does not wish to pursue this opportunity in Malta.”

Bolt, 32, has been trialling with the A-League club since August and has had a total of 140 minutes of football over three trial matches.

He captured the imagination of the sporting world when he scored a brace of goals in a trial last Friday with the video highlights of the goals attracting more than six million hits on the Mariners official Twitter handle.

Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt celebrates scoring a goal for A-League football club Central Coast Mariners. Picture: AFP

Despite his decision the future of Bolt, an eight-times Olympic gold medallist, remains clouded.

He still has a lot of work to do to improve his game. Now that the A-League is due to start this weekend, there are no more opportunities for him to play in a trial game or get more experience. It will be left to the Mariners training staff to bring him up to scratch — something that could take another three or four months.

And that means the club is not yet in a position to offer him a contract.

There is also the situation regarding Football Federation Australia’s decision not to use any of their marquee funds to help the Mariners pay for his contract, although owner Mike Charlesworth would be prepared to foot the entire wage claim if Bolt looks like improving enough to earn a contract.