15 Oct What will Mariners now do with Bolt?

Fox Sports’ Adam Peacock thinks the Central Coast Mariners still need to see more from Usain Bolt before offering him an A-League contract.

Bolt scored a brace in the Mariners’ 4-0 preseason victory over Macarthur South West United, generating worldwide headlines for the A-League side.

With the A-League campaign kicking off this weekend, Peacock has explained what the process is for Bolt and Central Coast from here.

“It’s a tough one…they could give him a contract tomorrow and bang, we are away and he is a professional footballer,” Peacock told SEN Afternoons. “I don’t think they will, I don’t think he is quite there yet. They need to see a bit more, which is fair enough.

“Obviously they’re desperate to sign him from a commercial standpoint and we have known that from as soon as this news broke.

“It’s just weighing it up. In a sense, not just handing him a contract and devaluing the whole notion of being a professional footballer, especially at the Central Coast Mariners.”

However, Peacock dispelled any notion Bolt’s signing could block the spot of an Australian youngster.

“Mariners have made some good signings this year and they’ve done as well in the market as they have in the last four years, and they’ve actually signed young Australian players,” he said.

“If you want to pot Bolt coming and saying this is taking the place (of a young Australian), it’s actually not.

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“I actually think they’ll give him a couple extra months, if he is willing to hang around that long, to really prove himself.

“By the end of it, if he improves like he has, I reckon he might sneak in for a guest stint or short-term contract.”

Central Coast’s season begins this Saturday against the Brisbane Roar.

Listen to Adam Peacock’s chat with Jack Heverin on SEN Afternoons in the player below