It’s offical. Usain Bolt has signed on with the Central Coast Mariners for what the A League club are calling an “indefinite training period”.
A fortnight or so ago, it was rumoured that Bolt would be joining the Mariners on a six-week trial while they sussed out whether a “season-long affair” was viable.
It transpires that the Jamaican sprinter’s arrangement with the Mariners is a little less formal, with the club confirming that the 31-year-old will be training with them without a “make-or-break appraisal” set to trigger at a pre-arranged juncture.
We’re set to welcome @usainbolt to @CCMariners for an indefinite training period. Let’s hear from the world’s fastest man.
Read more ⚡ https://t.co/kOtlPUPWz8 #CCMFC pic.twitter.com/LsSxYLSbhl
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) 7 August 2018
This from the Daily Telegraph Australia:
If [Bolt is] 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.
Perish the very thought.