The disdain reached that rare level of intensity in seeing Usain Bolt score twice for the Mariners against a Macarthur South-West combination XI, where the caustic simmerings bubbled over sides of the pot, extinguishing the flame beneath.
His first goal was struck low and hard, a good striker’s finish, and the slight deflection it took off the heels of the defender flummoxed the goalkeeper, who might otherwise have done a little better dealing with a shot hit from a tight angle at his near post.
His second goal was a gift given to him by a terrible defensive mix-up, and the open goal tap-in that resulted gives zero insight into his finishing abilities.
Seeing this, the sour thought that catalysed the aforementioned mental boil-over was one steeped in spite. These two goals, Bolt’s smiling face, the joyous cheers from the 6,000-strong crowd present to see him start his first match for Central Coast; this was all a primer, I thought, for the great hoodwink to come.
These goals would justify the one-year contract that will follow them, and we’d drive away in the newly painted lemon, racing stripes and hot-rod red, with the used-car salesman smiling and thanking God for delivering unto him another sucker. How I wished he’d missed, or fallen over comically, or been winded after five minutes like he had been in his last run-out. An ugly wish, to be sure.
One goal, scored against a collection of disparate second-division players who are a fortnight into their holidays, does not a footballer make. The chances Bolt missed – in particular an opportunity squared to him across the face of goal, that for some reason he attempted to convert with his favoured left foot instead of his right, and ended up missing the ball completely – were as telling as the chances he took.
Usain Bolt is fit, but is he football match fit? (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Furthermore, the idea that exposure of any kind is always a good thing is not one to which I subscribe.
The light being shone on football is being squarely trained on Bolt; that the A-League, or the Central Coast Mariners, or Gosford, or whoever, are half-lit in the dappled overglow, slightly off to the side of the main attraction, does not make this all worthwhile.
Most of the international coverage is about Bolt’s personal crusade; our little league is not the lede here, and it is valid to question the actual, tangible value of giddily regurgitating how many channels or newspapers or Twitter accounts have been spotted indulging in a bit of Bolt-watching.
Are we, the Bolt critics, snobby naysayers, negative Nancys of the most insufferable order, lashed stiffly to their high horses, trotting around arrogantly? Or are we right to feel disgruntled about the fact that the A-League, a competition we all think deserves to be given more serious attention, has been relegated to the role of a supporting character in a farcical pantomime?
The show seems to be popular, sure, but no one buys a ticket to go back and see it again next week.
And then I looked at the latest club membership figures, and saw that Central Coast have now slipped below Wellington as the least-supported club. The last four seasons, the Mariners have managed league finishes that read as follows: tenth, eighth, tenth, eighth.
There are ways for clubs to pull themselves out of the doldrums, and until now I’ve always thought that cheapening themselves in this way, allowing for a retired superstar sprinter to use them as a tool to achieve his own personal footballing daydream, was too debasing a method to consider.
But perhaps Central Coast’s situation is dire enough to excuse it. Perhaps lolling in negativity about this is too indulgent, and it’s not the domain of the moron to see Bolt as an engine for positive progress in Gosford.
This doesn’t mean you have to start unironically declaring Graham Arnold cap him, or calling for the team to be renamed the Central Coast Bolters, or even advocating for Bolt to receive a contract. But there is value in towing yourself out of the bog of derision, a thick track of loamy muck into which we’ve willingly driven and become mired.
The jury is still out on Usain Bolt. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
It would to willingly suspend the faculties to try and convince anyone that Jordan Murray scoring for the Mariners – having been the NPL’s best goalscorer last season – would have generated more than a blip on the non-football media radar if Bolt hadn’t also scored twice in the same game.
When the corner was swung in, the match announcer was so focused on Bolt – who didn’t even contest for a header – he didn’t notice it was Murray who had scored until the ball had bulged the net.
It’s hard not to look like a crying bore when, having bemoaned the non-football media’s lack of interest – or, often, active hostility – in the A-League and Australian football, you moan even more once they start covering – of all things – a pre-season Mariners match with some enthusiasm. What this entire affair with Bolt was exposed is the unease with which Australian football fans tread across the sporting landscape.
We want our league to be more supported, better served, more exposed. Perhaps we aren’t allowed to be indignant when the methods of achieving – or attempting to achieve – that aren’t exactly to our liking.
Matt H
Roar Guru
People are taking this way too seriously. Giving one roster spot to a guy who has already paid his way in free publicity and bums on seats seems a no-brainer to me. CCM's season won't be defined by whether their last roster spot goes to Bolt or some other fringe player. But the story, followed around the country and around the world, has given the club and the League more publicity and this will translate into funds. Neither CCM or the A-League are so flush with funds that they will knock back free money with little practical downside. More people probably follow Bolt on Twitter than all other players in all local football leagues of all football codes in Australia combined. As a professional league that actually has to compete against other codes for attention and limited funds (unlike most leagues throughout Europe, Asia and South America who have the luxury of a virtual monopoly), the A-League would be mad to not use every tool at their disposal to maximise their visibility and revenue.
Matt H
Roar Guru
This is such a Fallicy. It is just as easy to play football badly as it is to play AFL badly.
Newie
Guest
I heard an interview with Greg O'Rourke (Head of the A-League) last week. He categorically stated that the A-League would NOT dip in to the Marquee fund for Bolt. He clearly defined the difference between Bolt as a marketing tool and Bolt as a talented marquee level footballer. If he is to be believed, Sydney FC were within a whisker of securing Fernando Torres and some sort of international tax or other issues prevented it. I think you're right that Bolt will be offered a contract and mooch the bench around to bring non-purists to games.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Good Post LH, these AFL fanboys will never understand it. The fact that Israel Folau is still the best known AFL player ever in places like NSW, New Zealand & England, shows you publicity do work.
Fadida
Guest
More people saw Bolt get hit in the balls than saw the entire AFL season. MF is psychologically damaged by that knowledge.
Fadida
Guest
The problem for you is that no one has heard of Mason Cox, bar a few hundred thousand people in a couple of Australian states. Bolt had 5 million people see him get hit in the balls. Try again
Griffo
Roar Guru
It is being reported that Bolt’s contract is contingent on the FFA chipping in from the marquee fund. That decision seems imminent. If that happens I think you’d question the worth of that fund and Bolt’s commitment to being a professional (assuming he goes elsewhere to get a contract with appropriate remuneration. First goal was well taken, given the pressure and narrow angle, through the defender’s legs at just the right time. Bolt could do with getting in front of his defender more. He can offload a bit but has a heavy touch. I’m not sure he’ll be able to beat the first opponent most of the time, and will need some good passes around him to bring him into the game and compensate for positioning which might be a little off in the beginning. If CCM give Bolt a non-marquee contract in January and he makes the occasional appearance off the bench, then it’s hard to fault either party. Then it is a question of his worth in the squad over other available players.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
You are the voice of reason and intelligence lionheart
Kangas
Roar Rookie
So to analyse from your information Mf re Bolt and Cox Soccer is a harder game then oz rules .
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Mister Football. You obviously don't read others comments and I do wonder why you are here. It's certainly not for the love of football. There are clubs around the world with bigger budgets than the whole and sole Ausy Rules league, players earning much more than entire AFL clubs. The AFL doesn't even register among world sports. I watch a lot of international TV news - CNN, BBC, CGTN, Al Jazeera, CBS - and I've never heard AFL mentioned. Not even the grand final. Yet, I hear dozens of mentions of the A League annually. The Mariners even got a mention on three of them last week. But this is a bit off-track. The fact is that this is the Football tab, meaning soccer, yet you continually come on here and post about AFL. That is very odd behaviour, by any measure.
Midfielder
Roar Guru
LH Great post.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Interesting you should mention Mason Cox, despite being 7 ft tall, he is faster than Bolt, he has more stamina than Bolt, can jump higher than bolt, is more agile than Bolt and can judge the ball in the air a lot better than Bolt. Given Bolt's background, you could not say that he looks overly athletic out on a football field. He looks like some poor mug running around like a chook without a head, however, it cannot be denied he scored two goals, so who knows, maybe he is A-League standard?
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Like it or lump it, it's the elite league upon which we judge how big a sport is. It's the elite league which attracts broadcast revenue, the bulk of sponsorship revenue, etc, etc (in fact, the socceroos' sponsorship revenue is small bikkies, and that's when they can attract any sponsorship at all). In fact, this whole governance argy-bargy we've just gone through is about who controls the main source of revenue, most of which is now tied up with the A-League. Lots of national teams, but none of them actually pay their way. That's what some of the concern is all about, if the clubs try and take a bit more out of the cookie jar to help offset decades of multi-million dollar losses, who funds the NTs?
Waz
Roar Rookie
Well said
jamesb
Roar Guru
The other week, i went to the Wollongong Wolves - Central Coast Mariners game. It was a cold night, with about 2,600 hearty souls in attendance. There was a couple of sub plots to the game. The crowd behind me were beating a drum and singing a few tunes about the possible A League return for the Wolves. As for the game, the Wolves started off well by scoring the opening goal. Not long after CCM equalised. Wolves were unlucky on a couple of occasions where they hit the goal posts twice. CCM lead 2-1 at half time, but the Wolves could've easily lead. In the second half, CCM's superior fitness took it's toll on the NPL side and eventually won 3-1. At the half time break, Bolt was on the field training with some of the CCM players who were not taking part. In this training drill, he did seem to favour one side. The other players looked natural on the ball while Bolt looked awkward. After full time, Bolt, and the other non playing Mariners players were doing one on one training drills. When Bolt was the defender, the attacker easily went past him and scored a goal. Defensively, he looked all at sea. When it was his turn as an attacker, he did come up with a nice finish, similar to what he did against Macarthur. I came away from it thinking, that Bolt has a long way to go to become a professional footballer.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
The herald had some stories abour Usain in the last week and some articles about re signing Dimi Petratos and Emily Van egmond as well as an USA international for the w league team . The herald even had some soccer articles still about the local teams like Edgeworth. . The usual great league coverage and heaps about Bathurst last week and the Everest horse racing .
Kangas
Roar Rookie
SEN radio is a horse racing station I like. Haven’t heard any those afl things on it at all . Maybe it’s another SEN ?
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Archie was better But Usain first goal , was a decent finish . Maybe the mariners will give him a contact, and look to onsell him at a profit, to the Indian super league at a later date.
Fadida
Guest
I can honestly say Kanga, that I had no idea the AFL GF was on. I'm sure the Newy Herald would have had an article somewhere near the back, but I don't buy it. None of my social media feeds mentioned it. Usain Bolt in the other hand, scores 2 and gets more hits than the entire AFL season!
Fadida
Guest
In fairness Chris, it's appealing more and more to men aged 18-50 who like to drink, abuse and fight fellow fans...