[Chi_archie]

Small Aussie League,
this will be interesting..

rooting for the guy

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/usain-b...003320606.html


Owens,Yahoo Sports 16 hours ago

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Usain Bolt, seen here prepping for a June charity soccer match in France, hopes to have a second act as a professional soccer player. (AP)Usain Bolt’s eight-year reign as arguably the best athlete on the planet has come to an end, leaving the eight-time Olympic gold medalist sprinter searching for his next act.
He’s hoping that next step occurs on an Australian soccer pitch.
Bolt signs deal in Australia’s top soccer league

Bolt’s agent Tony Rallis told Australian radio show “Big Sports Breakfast” on Mondaythat the 31-year old who retired from competitive sprinting last year had agreed in principle to a six-week trial deal with Australian A-League team Central Coast Mariners.
The A-League is the country’s top professional soccer tier and run by Football Federation Australia. Terms of the deal were not reported.
“If he’s competitive, he will lift our A-League profile,” Rallis said. “He will create dreams for young people and he will give the A-League a profile no amount of money can buy.”
Bolt has previously spent trial soccer runs with Germany’s Borussia Dortmund and Norway’s Stromsgodset. But he’s never played soccer professionally.
If this sounds a bit like Tim Tebow getting a shot at baseball after his pro football career flamed out, it’s because it probably is.
Team executive insists Bolt signing not a publicity stunt

Mariners chief executive Shaun Mielekamp addressed speculation that the Bolt deal was a publicity stunt with Newcorp.
“Apart from him obviously being extremely fast the feedback we have received from Germany and Norway is that he is a very good learner and shows dramatic improvement after every training session,” Mielekamp said.
“This is a very real football opportunity, this is not a stunt or gimmick – we want to know if Usain can play.
“If he can, let’s light up the A-League and bring one of the biggest named athletes in sport to the Central Coast.”

[Chi_archie]

ah... here is a charity event

I think no fukin way


also are there many 6'5 soccer players? is that a disadvantage or advantage?

[jjgold]

never works out

[dlowilly]

ah... here is a charity event

I think no fukin way


also are there many 6'5 soccer players? is that a disadvantage or advantage?

He doesn’t look half bad in some of it especially the 20 minute mark

[cincinnatikid513]

he's not that bad, plus they would sell a ton of jerseys

[Thrilla]

A-League?

He sucks.

Has speed sure...but speed dribbling is what works in soccer.

Nice stunt from CCM. Worst A-League sides.

[franz555]

Usain Bolt is rumored to be on the verge of signing a soccer contract in Australia's A League with Coastal Coast Mariners. After 8 years of dominating the " Fastest Man on The Planet " category , he is going to pursue his 2nd passion...... Soccer. Seems like a no brainer. Just Hoof the ball and let him chase it down.

[bonusguy]

hes playing fwd in the video. thats the toughest position, hes too old to learn that skill...........he should be a right fullback and only right fullback. take a year or two to learn the position and he will be 33 and a good player.

being 6'5 is an advantage for sure. most sprinters are 5'10

so hes just a freak and could win a lot of plays in the air. the speed of the pro game would take him years to get used to so a team will have to play him a lot even when hes shaky. its up to that team but if he gets a chance he would be a legit pro

[cankid]

SHould be interesting to see how this turns out

[Clutchut12]

Dude should be a punt-kick returner.

[eidolon]

"AP)Usain Bolt’s eight-year reign as arguably the best athlete on the planet has come to an end"


Who the hell ever said he was the best athlete?

[cincinnatikid513]

kind of like tim tebow playing for the mets

[Chi_archie]

kind of like tim tebow playing for the mets

I gave Tebow a below .0001% chance of ever having success at AA or AAA and zero chance in hell he'd ever warrant actually making a roster move where someone was taken off 40 man roster and he could be put on 40 man roster for Sept. Even for ticket/publicity sales. (keep in mind MLB splits all hat, uniform purchases between all teams ((unless they are bought in stadium stores))

I mean he is a top flight world class athlete but baseball requires kids to play continuously from like 9 or less to 18/21 just to get drafted and then you spend 3-6+ years playing in the minors to get a chance at the big show. I thought it quite Audacious to think you could leave the game for well over a decade and come in and try to just skip all that development.

He's beginning to prove me wrong


you gotta give Tebow a ton of credit for sticking with this and riding it out (literally on the Milb buses) for this long



as for Bolt. He doesn't strike me as having the committment of a Tebow. but I'll be watching/following