Advertisement

The Usain Bolt highlights that might worry A-League fans

By the looks of this highlights reel, Usain Bolt has a long way to go to win a contract with the Central Coast Mariners.

Australian football agent Tony Rallis says an “in-principle” deal has been reached to bring the eight-time Olympic gold medallist to the A-League club for a six-week trial.

Bolt, 31, retired from sprinting last year but has long harboured ambitions of a career in football.

THE STICKING POINT: $900,000 roadblock in Bolt’s move to A-League

“We’ve got a club that’s willing to allow him to trial and offer him the contract,” Rallis told AAP.

“He’s got a little bit more work to do but things are going very positive at the moment,” he also told 7News.

“It’s important that he has the quality skills to play, because then he’ll be great.”

Improvement needed? Image: Getty
Improvement needed? Image: Getty

However those ‘skills’ are yet to be fully realised, as you can see in the video above.

Bolt played in a charity match for Unicef last month in London, captaining a “Soccer Aid World XI” team that featured Robbie Williams, Kevin Pietersen and Yaya Toure.

The team was co-coached by Eric Cantona and Harry Redknapp, who previously served as an ‘advisor’ to the Mariners in 2016.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 17: Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after competing in the Men’s 200m Semifinals on Day 12 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 17, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 17: Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after competing in the Men’s 200m Semifinals on Day 12 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 17, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Bolt had a goal chalked off for offside, hit the crossbar and mucked up a regulation header in the box, but scored in a penalty shootout.

He warmed up for the match with a 20-minute spell for Norweigian side Stromsgodset in a friendly against Norway’s under-19s, where he looked well off the pace of professional football.

He has previously trained with clubs including Germany’s Borussia Dortmund and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and also played a practice match with Melbourne Heart’s youth team during a 2012 visit to Australia.

with AAP