Usain Bolt leaves Central Coast Mariners as cuckolds

When the Central Coast Mariners woke up, rolled over and caught a glimpse of Usain Bolt disappearing out the door, they could be excused for feeling a little used.

Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt celebrates scoring a goal for A-League football club Central Coast Mariners in his first competitive start for the club on October 12.

When the Central Coast Mariners woke up this morning, rolled over and caught a glimpse of Usain Bolt disappearing out the door, they could be excused for feeling a little used.

The world’s fastest man is apparently seriously considering an unconditional two-year deal to play with Maltese outfit Valletta FC. Valletta are hardly one of the giants of European football, but they hope Bolt will spearhead their “charge to the Champions League”.

Money is no object. The club is owned by wealthy Arabs and they are prepared to give Bolt what he wants.

Which leaves the Mariners as cuckolds.

Bolt turned up at the Central Coast a couple of months ago out of condition, unused to the physical demands of professional soccer and without many of the skills the game requires.

In his early training sessions he looked exhausted and bewildered, doubled over sucking in the big ones after 10 minutes.

The Mariners coaching staff have devoted countless hours since to turning him into something approaching a footballer. Building his fitness, teaching him technique and positional play.

And by playing him in two trial games broadcast on Fox Sports, they put him in an international shop window.

Valletta’s interest was sparked after Bolt scored two goals for the Mariners in a trial against a South Western Sydney select last Friday. It was just his third game for the club and his first starting appearance — he had played 20 minutes and 45 minutes as a substitute in two previous trials.

Usain Bolt looks on during the pre-season friendly match between the Central Coast Mariners and Macarthur South West United at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on October 12.

Central Coast tweeted out video of the goals and it reached a staggering six million views. It is believed Valletta approached Bolt’s management the following day.

Two possibilities are likely. Either Bolt has used the Mariners as a soccer academy to prepare him for his career change and then show him to the world — only to take the money and run. Or he is using the threat that he might fly the coop to pressure Football Federation Australia to come up with some marquee funding to keep him in the A-League.

Either way, the way the Mariners have been treated seems a little grubby.

Central Coast coach Mike Mulvey should probably book a cab to take Bolt to the airport and concentrate on players who want to play for his club.

And FFA boss David Gallop should stick with his much more sustainable plan of using marquee funding for genuine soccer stars such as Keisuke Honda and Sam Kerr.