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Central Coast Mariners vs Central Coast Selection |
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|---|---|---|
A-League Pre-season Warm up |
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| Central Coast Stadium | ||
| Central Coast Mariners | Central Coast Selection | |
| 6 | SCORE | 1 |
| 17 | Shots | 6 |
| 7 | Corners | 4 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
The scoreline, 6-1 to the Mariners, was wholly irrelevant at Central Coast Stadium, as Usain Bolt brought the masses to the stadium to see what all the fuss was about.
While all the attention was on Bolt, all action on the field in the first half was the Mariners blowing out cobwebs, and scoring goals at will. Jack Clisby helping himself to a first half double, his first coming only 20 seconds into the contest.
Bolt watched on intently all night, just waiting for his moment, which arrived with 20 minutes to go. He came on and gave the crowd what they wanted, with some runs here, some jogs there, some soft touches, and a couple of chances.
From a footballing perspective, Mulvey will be happy with a first half clinic, but less enthusiastic that saw his experimental side draw the second half 1-all, with the Select team scoring a nice little goal from a free kick.
But tonight was about Bolt, and only time will tell what the Bolt experiment says about the game of football in Australia.
Final score
Central Coast Mariners – 6
Central Coast Select – 1
So the journey for Usain Bolt begins, in a pre-season hit-out between the Central Coast Mariners and a Central Coast selection, with all eyes being on how the 100m and 200m sprinting phenomenon handles the match. Join The Roar for live scores and updates from 7:30pm (AEST).
Regardless of merit or substance, the long and short of it is that the Usain Bolt experiment means that not only is a Central Coast Mariners pre-season game being talked about and scrutinised, but it is being televised as well.
It will not be a matter for the Mariners, and indeed the A-League and FFA, as to what they do with that added exposure in a meaningful way.
The easy question to ask will be how Bolt handles the pressure, and while that may seem like a big question, let’s remember that this is a three-time Olympian who is the fastest man ever to stand on a racetrack, so ultimately, while Bolt’s performance will be heavily scrutinised and questioned, you would wonder whether Bolt is indeed going to feel any pressure.
There will be a lot to think about in this match.
Mike Mulvey had a huge job on his hands coming to the Central Coast, particularly given how this club finished last season, so while doubtless Mulvey would have preferred to go without the added distraction of ‘the Bolt experiment,’ he will still know that he has a team to build, and a competition to prepare for, so perhaps he might look at this as an opportunity to use the coverage, and indeed, Bolt’s professionalism, to kick-start his campaign.
Is this game going to be make or break for Bolt? Hardly, given that the amount of coverage to date dictates that the Mariners try to make this work as best they can.
But the criticisms will be locked and loaded if Bolt fails, in fact they will probably be readily handed out if Bolt succeeds, and for the sake of the Central Coast Mariners and the A-League, it will be important that Usain Bolt doesn’t necessarily star, but at least looks like he belongs.
Prediction
It likely doesn’t matter, but while the Mariners should get the chocolates (a loss here might actually be a bigger story than Bolt), it wouldn’t surprise me if Bolt himself manages to get on the scoresheet.
Central Coast Mariners 4-0.
Join The Roar for live scores and updates from 7:30pm (AEST), and don’t forget to leave a comment.
perry cox
Roar Guru
So the Usain Bolt experiment in Australian football has started, with a 20 minute cameo performance off the bench in the final minutes of a pre-season warm up game against park footballers. The scoreline, 6-1 to the Mariners, was wholly irrelevant at Central Coast Stadium, as Usain Bolt brought the masses to the stadium to see what all the fuss was about. While all the attention was on Bolt, all action on the field in the first half was the Mariners blowing out cobwebs, and scoring goals at will. Jack Clisby helping himself to a first half double, his first coming only 20 seconds into the contest. They were curious scenes in Gosford, as the crowds gathered to watch what on any other day or season would have struggled to get the coaching staff to attend. A carnival atmosphere met the players, as the people expressed their enthusiasm to see a truly global superstar. However, yes, a superstar, but not a footballing superstar. Bolt watched on intently all night, just waiting for his moment, which arrived with 20 minutes to go. Bolt's every move, every motion on the bench, was followed with baited breath and sheer awe. Whether he was warming up or getting ready to come into play, he came on and gave the crowd what they wanted, with some runs here, some jogs there, some soft touches, and a couple of chances. Can you make much of 20 minutes of a match? In some ways, probably not, but in other ways, yes, you can. For starters, the key word that was uttered by those in commentary, was that of 'coverage.' Regardless of what you think about the Usain Bolt trial, whether the Central Coast Mariners, the A-League or the FFA like it, Bolt's mere presence has brought unrivalled coverage to this area of the footballing world. This is not Alessandro Del Piero at the end of his career, bringing the interest of dyed in the wool supporters. This is not Dwight Yorke, this is not a washed up Mario Jardel, this is instead a truly global brand who has graced these shores, and whatever the intentions of Bolt, the reality is that the game in this country is now in the spotlight. So what football in this country does with its 15 minutes, is up to them. When you consider the official crowd figure was 9,958 (and enjoy the numerology associated with that figure), that was more than one-tenth of the Mariners' total attendance during the entire 2017/18 season. From a footballing perspective, Mulvey will be happy with a first half clinic, but less enthusiastic that saw his experimental side draw the second half 1-all, with the Select team scoring a nice little goal from a free kick. But tonight was about Bolt, and only time will tell what the Bolt experiment says about the game of football in Australia, and from Bolt's footballing perspective, yes, at times he in fact looked off the pace, but no doubt he showed enough again to convince that his intentions so far are genuine, not just for himself, but for the game. His late chance at the end, when he missed the ball at the back post, was as much fitness as it was timing, and not yet having that feel for the game. And Usain to his credit was honest in his appraisal, in that he does not expect miracles, he wants time. Again, whatever the intentions of Bolt, he is making all the right noises, and so is the club. So the Usain Bolt trial has started, the marker laid. The real task for the custodians of football in this country is to make sure that this is not a false start, but the start of something good and productive for both Usain Bolt, and Australian football. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
FULL TIME Beath blows the whistle, and that brings this affair to an end. Mariners with a lot of goals in the first half, just the one goal in the second, while conceded to the CC Select. Bolt did what he wanted to do, and that was survive 20 minutes of football. Report to come. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
93' - CCS with the last free kick of the night I'd imagine, they attack, Mariners stop it. Right. One last chance for Bolt, although CCS give away a free. One last last chance for Bolt. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
92' - Man alive, Bolt is sweating, and he looks amazingly tired. Mariners steal possession in the CCS defence, and can't hit the target. I think there are a few trialists out there for the Mariners. And at the moment, the half is even at 1-all. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
91' - Now Bolt with a shot, blocked by a defender int he box. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
91' - We will have 3 more minutes. Plenty of time. And here's the moment! The cross is in, Bolt at the back post, and he just misses the tap in. He just couldn't get there in time. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
90' - Clisby keeps it in, and man alive does Bolt look tired. He is sweatin' man. It just occurs to me, even when running his 200m, that's 20 seconds of sprinting. Has anyone checked if he has the endurance to do that more than once a day? Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
89' - The corner comes in, and Bolt leaps high to meet the header, but it's cut out by the defender. What a spoil sport! The CC Select are tiring. Bolt might still have a chance if there is enough time added on. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
88' - Another corner to the Mariners, and another attack, and nearly an own goal. Bolt moved away from the goal there, hoping for the cut back that never came. Another corner. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
85' - Bird is marking Bolt surprisingly well. Bird probably hoping that bolt doesn't start running. There's a shot from the Mariners, and Bolt sort of stumbles at the crumbs, but it's cleared before he can get there. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
84' - Corner is whipped in, CCS clear. Bolt meanwhile is taking off his jewellry. Mate, this is football. You might be able to sprint in that at the Olympics, can't wear that on the field though. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
82' - Bolt is prowling around up front, moving into spaces. You get the feeling that he's going to make all the mistakes he possibly can here tonight, and use this as the starting point. Mariners on the attack here, and Bolt on the ball, he passes out to Clisby. He looks so laconic on the ball. Central Coast – 6 CC Select – 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
80' - Bolt is actually making the right runs for the system that Mulvey has in place, just not timing it properly. he's in amongst the scramble in the goal mouth. Offside, but not Bolt. Central Coast - 6 CC Select - 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
77' - And what a goal from the CCS - free kick, outside the box, from the left, he whips it in, past the keeper at the near post. Poor keeping, great shooting! Central Coast - 6 CC Select - 1
perry cox
Roar Guru
76' - Great cross in from Clisby there, I think, and it almost finds Bolt in the middle, ready to head it home, but I think there was a CCS touch and it went behind the sprint champion. Central Coast - 6 CC Select - 0
perry cox
Roar Guru
75' - Bolt isn't shying away from the action. He wants in right amongst the attack. Dare I say it though, does he look a tick off the pace? Central Coast - 6 CC Select - 0
perry cox
Roar Guru
73' - Bolt makes a good run, but the pass is in the air behind him. He goes the scorpion though, and it finds a Mariners player. This man truly is a talent. Central Coast - 6 CC Select - 0
perry cox
Roar Guru
72' - And Bolt goes straight to the left-hand side, right on that sideline, and he watches on jogging with the play back to his defence. Central Coast - 6 CC Select - 0
perry cox
Roar Guru
72' - McGlinchey off, Bolt on. The most famous moment in that man's life, when he came on to replace McGlinchey. Central Coast - 6 CC Select - 0
perry cox
Roar Guru
71' - Right, this could be the biggest non-competition substitution in A-League history. Next out, he will be on, wearing the famous Mariners #95 jersey. Can someone please stop play? Central Coast - 6 CC Select - 0