Not quite sure about this, Usain
Usain Bolt has blamed his failed spell in the A-League on the poor quality of opposition and admitted that signing for Central Coast Mariners was ‘a mistake’.
The legendary sprinter signed for the Mariners four years ago in a surprise move, with the Jamaican achieving his dream of playing professional football after quitting athletics in 2017.
Despite featuring in two pre-season games for Central Coast, evening scoring twice, Bolt quit his trial in November 2018 after rejecting a one-season deal with the club.
Bolt slams standard of football in Australia for A-League stint.
Now, the 35-year-old has suggested that he ‘made a mistake’ by signing for the Mariners and that the level of football ‘wasn’t good’.
“I made a mistake,” Bolt said in an interview ahead of last month’s UNICEF Soccer Aid charity match.
“When I retired from track and field, I didn’t want to stay in Europe because of the media. I went to Australia, but the level of football there wasn’t good. I should have stayed in Europe.
“After a year of trials I just said, you know what, let’s just move on from that. So I moved on.”
Usain Bolt with an interesting reason why his trial at Central Coast Mariners & A-League opportunity didn’t work out… 🤔🤥 pic.twitter.com/6g0CjkQTh1
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‘Financial reasons’ cited at time of Bolt’s departure
When the Jamaican left Central Coast Mariners, financial reasons were highlighted as the main factor behind his decision to leave the A-League.
It is thought that the Australian club offered him a $150,000-a-year deal, but Bolt’s agent was looking for a $3million sum to secure his signature.
The eight-time Olympic medallist has previously admitted that he found professional football more difficult than he expected it to be. However, he also claimed that he did not ‘get a fair chance’ during his trial with Central Coast.
