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Usain Bolt

kingofhearts

By kingofhearts,
in Melbourne City

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jw1739

jw1739

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, haz said:

This league is a joke.

It certainly is.

What I've read so far is that the deal depends on FFA stumping up marquee funds to pay part of what Bolt is demanding. He has had trials elsewhere (e.g. Borussia Dortmund) and played in a few exhibition matches etc., but in reality this is an untried player wanting marquee money. As FFA increases the costs of registration for players and ticket prices for fans perhaps it needs to start really thinking about the long-term growth of football in this country rather than gimmicks.

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bt50

bt50

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6 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

It certainly is.

What I've read so far is that the deal depends on FFA stumping up marquee funds to pay part of what Bolt is demanding. He has had trials elsewhere (e.g. Borussia Dortmund) and played in a few exhibition matches etc., but in reality this is an untried player wanting marquee money. As FFA increases the costs of registration for players and ticket prices for fans perhaps it needs to start really thinking about the long-term growth of football in this country rather than gimmicks.

No way should the FFA tip any of its marquee money into this. If they want to use some of their advertising $$$ then its perhaps justifiable, but god knows they spend sweet FA on that anyway...

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Harrison

Harrison

Posted
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I rather like the idea. It's only a trial after all, and if he's good enough to earn a contract then so be it. 

But it really should be on merit. He should either be rejected or earn a one-year deal on peanuts, having never played much (any?) competitive football.

FFA need to show some integrity here. 

 

 

 

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Torn Asunder

Torn Asunder

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Posted

He wont get past his trial ... not even a park quality player.  It makes the league more of a joke than it is, even as a publicity stunt.

 

 

 

If FFA bankroll this, then the comp is truly doomed.

Just let the clubs build Asian Champions League quality squads, bring in promotion / relegation and FFA to get their hands off the league!

 

 

 

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fensaddler

fensaddler

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19 minutes ago, jeffplz said:

He'll get fucking slaughtered in any league. You can't switch from running in straight lines to directional changes and agility like soccer demands within a few training sessions, and he's been sprinting his whole life.

His second trial was with Stromsgodet in the Norwegian Premier. That's hardly the big time, and they didn't keep him. I suspect this is largely about creating a buzz to sell memberships, rather than in any expectation that he will be a gun soccer player. 

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haz

haz

Posted
Posted (edited)

Confirmed trial by CCM

https://www.ccmariners.com.au/news/mariners-address-usain-bolt-media-speculation

 

If the FFA spend some of their marquee fund on him im boycotting the league.

(I'll actually be prepared to only keep up with games via text feed updates, this way FFA and Fox would lose $ and viewing/attendance figures)

Edited by haz
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jw1739

jw1739

Posted
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1 hour ago, Embee said:

That's because the rumoured deal for him is an initial 6 week trial. He won't be good enough to earn a contract IMO

@Embee Yeah, I realised that, but I thought that there would be insurance issues, both for Bolt and for the rest of the CCM squad.

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Embee

Embee

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Posted (edited)
10 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

@Embee Yeah, I realised that, but I thought that there would be insurance issues, both for Bolt and for the rest of the CCM squad.

Trials don't necessitate a player being formally registered in any league from my understanding, there might be insurance processes etc to follow as you've suggested but they don't need to be added to any official player list for that to take place.

Edited by Embee
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mattyh001

mattyh001

Posted
Posted

To play devil's advocate here, I see a lot of upside here with limited negativity. 

First things first, we're only talking about a 6 week trial at this stage. No real cost to anyone bar the the two parties involved. There's nothing to say he'll definitely get anything, so no need for panic stations - at least for the time being.

Now considering the publicity from today (a month out from Bolt's 6 week trial too by the way), this news has and will be nothing but good news / publicity (and just imagine what it would be if he did sign)

Throw in the corporate dollars that come with the extra publicity (particularly during the trial and if he did sign), and who knows maybe FFA won't need to tip much / at all.

Of which, I can't see complaining so much if it was only the CCM putting in for Bolt.

The bigger gripe I see from people is about the FFA tipping in, which has been lacking from the FFA recently. People can talk about Honda, Torres, etc, all they want, those stories have barely scratched the surface of generating the publicity Bolt has - and that's only for a trial. Bolt signing would be huge.

Like it or loathe, the FFA does need to appeal to more than us rusted on fans. Certainly doesn't have to be all the time, but still needs to happen time to time.

Now for us genuine football fans, it sucks that it takes a code hopper to get this sort of attention and there's certainly no guarantee Bolt will hit the mark / come up to scratch.  All part of the risk here (as the league knows all too well from past big names).

Then again Bolt is a genuine elite level athlete - most of which (in my experience) are fairly talented across many sports. Sadly in this day an age they have to specialise once they get to their late teens, so again - who knows he actually be alright.

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haz

haz

Posted
Posted (edited)

Wow, this league is actually fucked. Boycott anyone?

Quote

Record '9.58' could be Bolt's A-League shirt number

 
Central Coast Mariners are considering asking FFA for permission for Usain Bolt to wear a shirt with the iconic number ‘9.58’ on the back, if he’s successful in winning an A-League contract.
 
Updated Updated 3 hours ago By Dave Lewis
4 Minuten

That’s the time it took the Jamaican sprint king to cover 100m in setting the world record back in 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin.

Whether it would be permissible or not under FFA rules - and the answer is likely not - it provides an indication at the level of confidence owner Mike Charlesworth has in the 31-year-old would-be footballer proving more than simply a publicity magnet during in six-week trial in Gosford.

However CEO Shaun Mielekamp put some perspective on the plan when he said: “We’re nowhere near that. I don’t think it would be approved but ’m not even in that position.

“We’ve got to make sure he gets here for the trial first. There is still a fair bit to do.

“Were hoping to complete the negotiation components within the next week and a bit and hope to have him here by August.”

Bolt wore the same number in a charity match for Unicef last month in London, where he skippered a Soccer Aid World XI, co-coached by Eric Cantona and Harry Redknapp, and featuring Robbie Williams, Kevin Pietersen and Yaya Toure.

Charlesworth believes that under Mike Phelan, the former Manchester United assistant coach who has taken over as Mariners sporting director, Bolt can make the quantum leaps which could earn him a deal.

Those sentiments are backed up by Mielekamp, who revealed that initial talks were held with Bolt and his management five months ago and the club had already closely studied scouting reports from Borussia Dortmund and Norway’s Stromsgodset - teams he has trialed and trained with in the recent past.

“From where they first got him to where they finished with him, he showed dramatic improvements,” Mielekamp said.

“So when we get him for six weeks we’re hoping to see a similar level of improvement under (coach) Mike Mulvey and Mike Phelan.

“Then a decision will be made whether he is up to standard.”

The approach for Bolt - which would need at least partial financial backing from FFA were it to progress to the contract stage - is already being ridiculed by football purists on social media.

Mielekamp admitted: “He has to be good enough otherwise it turns into a bit of a laughing stock.”

It’s understood that Sydney-based player agent Tony Rallis, the driving force behind the venture, offered Bolt to all the A-League clubs, with only the Mariners opting to take the plunge into the unknown.

“The most engaging part of this has been the determination of Usain himself,” added Mielekamp.
“He’s very passionate about it and he backs himself. His management group is very supportive of him and they are very confident that he will pass the trial.

“They’ve had a good look at the A-League and they really feel that it’s the right level for Usain. If it came to a contract we would need FFA support.

“But they are as intrigued as we are right now to see how things go with the trial.”

Answering those who have depicted Bolt’s latest escapade as the Big Top coming to town, Mielekamp said: “It’s not a circus if he comes and trials and fails because we’ll give him good feedback.

“For it to work he has to play and help us win games and score goals. It could turn into something exciting.

“It’s important for him and the club that it’s a perfect fit. If it’s not then that’s ok. Nobody is going to kill us for having a look at an opportunity.”

One UK-based agent, who has been following Bolt’s post-athletics life, took a more cynical view, saying: “It’s like Dwight Yorke without the football.”

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/record-9-58-could-be-bolt-s-a-league-shirt-number

Edited by haz
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HeartOfCity

HeartOfCity

Posted
Posted (edited)
23 hours ago, jeffplz said:

He'll get fucking slaughtered in any league. You can't switch from running in straight lines to directional changes and agility like soccer demands within a few training sessions, and he's been sprinting his whole life.

Its the whole Issy Folauh (however you spell his name) all over again. 

This is 100% to get people talking about sokkah, and if thats all it is then i can live with the gimmick. If he gets a contract after the trial then thats a different story, he looked shocking in those vids. 

Edited by HeartOfCity
....
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jw1739

jw1739

Posted
Posted
12 minutes ago, moops said:

Personally I don't mind, he certainly has the masses talking, I hope CCM sign him up, the whole world will be watching.

The whole world would be watching if the W-League played in lingerie. Doesn't mean to say that it's what the game needs.

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haz

haz

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7 minutes ago, playmaker said:

Seeing him sprinting for a through ball would be worth buying a ticket for.

From all the stats, Bolts times at 0-50m are horrible (for an olympic sprinter). Plus he is over 30

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johnno cpfc

johnno cpfc

Posted
Posted

We must remember that FFA has to approve the signing as a visa or marque player right. If they do approve it then the floodgates will be opened for all A league clubs to sign whoever they like as i see it. If you can approve of an effectively untried  (player) then there is no way you can disapprove of any signing .

SCRAP THE CAP!!!!!!

 

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haz

haz

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, johnno cpfc said:

We must remember that FFA has to approve the signing as a visa or marque player right. If they do approve it then the floodgates will be opened for all A league clubs to sign whoever they like as i see it. If you can approve of an effectively untried  (player) then there is no way you can disapprove of any signing .

SCRAP THE CAP!!!!!!

 

Johno mate, what are your salary demands?

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jeffplz

jeffplz

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5 minutes ago, fensaddler said:

Yeah, nah. Plenty of soccer players timed at mid 10s for 100m, sometimes in boots on grass. And they'd be faster than Bolt over 20-30m.

EXActly, Arzani’s top speed is only a few kp/h behind Bolt anyway

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moops

moops

Posted
Posted
50 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

The whole world would be watching if the W-League played in lingerie. Doesn't mean to say that it's what the game needs.

I don't know, maybe we need to try out this lingerie league you are postulating, never know unless it's tried right?

Obviously it's a shit idea.

48 minutes ago, johnno cpfc said:

We must remember that FFA has to approve the signing as a visa or marque player right. If they do approve it then the floodgates will be opened for all A league clubs to sign whoever they like as i see it. If you can approve of an effectively untried  (player) then there is no way you can disapprove of any signing .

SCRAP THE CAP!!!!!!

 

Sponsors will be all over it, no need for FFA or Charlesworth money.

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Jovan

Jovan

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59 minutes ago, rass said:

I reckon overall it won't be a good thing for football in Australia but it may help a struggling team like CCM in the short term.

I'd definitely go and watch him though, just because he's the greatest athlete the world has ever seen. 

Until he tests positive. 

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