Usain Bolt!

[pjennings]

To be honest, I don't think having a competitive team will be enough to bring fans back at this stage. If we'd gone into the season without the Bolt circus, performed solidly, and finished, say, fourth, we'd all consider that a competitive season and a vast improvement. But so many people who used to take a healthy interest in the club are now so disconnected that few of them would be aware that'd we'd improved into a competitive mid-table team, and even fewer would care. Now let's say we do the same, but Bolt improves rapidly over the course of a six week trial and gets a contract. He's mostly a squad player, but he comes off the bench in some games as an impact sub and scores a couple of goals. The Bolt narrative would be enough to guarantee us coverage in the media and social media, and even the most casual of casual fans would know that the club is on the up. There's no doubt that Bolt would be a sugar hit with minimal legacy for the club or the league (though the whole idea of marquees leaving a concrete legacy is bogus to my mind anyway), but we wouldn't be relying on the sugar hit alone. Mulvey's trying to build a competitive team with a Coast-centred, community-focused culture. Maybe, if everything comes together, the sugar hit could be enough to get people to pay attention to the club long enough to realise that we're on the way up. Of course, that relies on Mulvey getting us to perform well. If the whole team flops then Bolt becomes an albatross.

I'm hoping that, whether or not Bolt gets a contract, we can spin the story to focus on the fact that the Mariners are the club that gives players a chance when everyone else has written them off, whether they be local juniors from East Gosford, future Australian captains commuting from Sydney just to train, teenagers who would be playing NYL at other clubs, NPL players, guys like Gameiro who've been written off because of injury, or Jamaican sprinters who want to prove they can be a professional footballer. It's a good story, and it's at the heart of the club's identity, but it doesn't get discussed as much as it deserves.

See - that was the point of the post. Again the assumption is that he passes a trial and is worthy a place. MC has said he can source 70% and is asking for $900,000 from the FFA. If that is forthcoming then the net expense to MC is zero dollars. On the upside some quoted an extra 10,000 a game. If sustained over the season that is serious money.

I personally think we would sell out for certain games but by the end of the season the numbers would be tailing off (but still a lot higher than now). To stop the tailing off then we need to be serious about who we bring in for the last few spots so that we are a competitive side.

A Bolt signing would give us the crowds in the short term and some money to build a competitive squad. A competitive squad though is what will keep the crowds and what we need for the long term

 

[Michael]

I’m sorry but if even Jeremy Brockie thinks he’s horsepiss

 

[Coastalraider]

I’m sorry but if even Jeremy Brockie thinks he’s horsepiss

I could say the same about Austin. Or Appiah. Or Fletcher. We have had a lot of players through this team that this comment could apply to - and not one of them would create the revenue that Bolt would.

Will he adapt to be a 10-15 goal a year striker - Absolutely not. Could he develop into a super sub to run at tired defences late in the game - maybe? Lets find out.

 

[yellowcake]

Like many, my first reaction yesterday was "what's the date?".
Now I feel that I'd be disappointed if even the trial didn't happen, even though I know if he wasn't the best known athlete in the world, without a tangible football CV he wouldn't be in the frame for one at all.

Last night I was flicking through some overseas media and realised (with no trial yet confirmed) that for this fleeting moment the Central Coast Mariners are the best known Australian football club on the planet. And I'm grinning about that.

 

[MrCelery]

TSnip...
Even if he does get offered a contract I can't see the FFA chipping in a cent.
I reckon Gallop spent all day on the phones yesterday telling the staff to come up with
a reason that Bolt doesn't qualify as a marquee. Let's face it the FFA don't like us.

Totally agree. If it had been a Sydney or Melbourne club Gallop would have been pimping the A-League for every dollar to bring him here.

 

[MrCelery]

Hoping that rumours of a striker are separate from all this stuff, and we're still moving forward with proven players as well

It's not like Bolt has to be a 'wonder-striker', an 'Mbappé' or anything.

Anything better than last year's effort would be a plus:

Hoole 4
Pain 4
Powell 4
De Silva 3
McGing 3
Asdrubal 2
Brama 2
Buhagiar 2
Baro 1
Skapetis 1

 

[FFC Mariner]

In the online clips I have seen of him ,he will never make it at a professional level.
He is unbelievably slow to turn and over the first 5 metres.
This is quite reasonable as he is having to think about what he is doing, it isnt natural.
Being quick after 10 metres is no use whatsoever (see entry under Austin) - probably make a decent local league player somewhere

 

[pjennings]

In the online clips I have seen of him ,he will never make it at a professional level.
He is unbelievably slow to turn and over the first 5 metres.
This is quite reasonable as he is having to think about what he is doing, it isnt natural.
Being quick after 10 metres is no use whatsoever (see entry under Austin) - probably make a decent local league player somewhere

I don't think much of what we have seen is valid - a lot of it was just after a break after doing his hamstring in his final race. Simply put - I think we do not know if he has any future.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Also might stop Slater murmuring about who is the fastest player in the league, so there's that too

But the gags would be constant - like in that charity match

 

[pjennings]

In related news Bruce McAvaney is switching from the AFL to Fox Sports to call all the Mariners games

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Let's make a couple of assumptions

1) He passes the trial
2) It is seen that it is a real trial and he can perform at least at the TBT or Appiah level from the beginning. i.e. he can earn a position on merit but potential for improvement would be large.

What difference would he make to our crowds? Would that difference sustain over the season or would it drain away?

My feeling is that it would be a sugar hit if we do not have a competitive team.

Yep. We can’t be rubbish. knives will come out with even more fury than usual if we are.

 

[scottmac]

Winning is huge in retaining the casual observer and turning them into fans. I went to a Yankees game while in new York and they won in the 10th inning. The sell out crowd went wild and it was an amazing experience. I now own a Yankees jersey and subscribe to the mlb TV app to follow games. It's all about that win when I was there and the experience. If we don't win while all these blow ins come then it will be a massive waste.
This is why I can't believe that this is being explored at the expense of trial matches to get our team playing together and preparing to win.

 

[adz]

In related news Bruce McAvaney is switching from the AFL to Fox Sports to call all the Mariners games

Well that would give Ned Zelic and those Kiwi gobshites a run for their money as worst commentator

 

[Rowdy]

My feeling is that it would be a sugar hit if we do not have a competitive team.

True, CCM competing well & winning a few along the way as well, will sustain the 'glucose' for as long as that situation holds.

However, a competive team creates a problem for Bolt in itself.

There's no doubt that if Bolt is signed he'll be putting bums on seats & the 'eyeballs' attached to those arses WILL BE EXPECTING to see him take the field
- "because that's why I bought a goddam ticket !"

So in considering THIS ⬆ & the hypothetical scenario of CCM having competitive team, Mulvey will havean absolute headache in having to carefully juggle Bolts 'appearrance time' whilst maintaining the competiveness.

Too much 'Bolt Time'
- could bring about some poor results because he played Usain 5, 10 or 15mins to long ??

Too little 'Bolt Time'
- could see the savages getting restless & deciding NOT to be a repeat customer.

If history is anything to go by, I'm pretty sure that MC's main goal in signing Bolt is for the purpose of
* 'repeat customers'

...... NOT 'competitiveness'.

 

[pjennings]

I would not expect Bolt to be a 90 minute player I would think his game would be 30 minutes against a tiring defence late in the game. His background is in an explosive event not a endurance sport. It will be a juggling act for MMM if he is signed.

Although I can imagine a Bolt-Cam following his every move on the bench and the sidelines.

 

[Coastalraider]

Winning is huge in retaining the casual observer and turning them into fans. I went to a Yankees game while in new York and they won in the 10th inning. The sell out crowd went wild and it was an amazing experience. I now own a Yankees jersey and subscribe to the mlb TV app to follow games. It's all about that win when I was there and the experience. If we don't win while all these blow ins come then it will be a massive waste.
This is why I can't believe that this is being explored at the expense of trial matches to get our team playing together and preparing to win.

We need both. We could sign someone that no-one has ever heard of, start winning some games and come in 6th. But that doesnt mean that anyone would be there to see it, other than the truly rusted on fans who were still turning up at the end of last season. We need something to ignite crowd numbers, which Bolt would do, but we need to have something to keep them there - which winning would do. The last few season have done an immense amount of damage to the teams brand within the general public.

Getting both of those things is the ultimate, and if he is capable of playing a cameo role, while an improved squad can create the base for winning enough games to make the finals, I think it goes a very very long way to digging us out of the hole we are in.

Increased sponsors, increased awareness, increased crowds and increased memberships.

And nowhere has it been said that exploring this idea has had any impact on trial games ( I agree with you that we should be having some by now, but I cant see that the Bolt situation has had any effect on that), and I cant see that Monty and MMM would be putting all quality recruiting on hold to see if this guy is going to be our saving grace. AT BEST he will be an impact sub - I dont think anyone would be silly enough to expect any more than that - so if we can have him fill the Buhagier gap, and sell out every stadium he goes to for a year, then I think its a massive win.

I had a call from memberships on Monday afternoon, asking if I would be renewing. I said I was waiting to see how the recruiting finished, as I wanted to be confident the management were going to be taking this seriously before I spent my heard earned on a membership again. Would signing a 35 year old washed up EPL striker convince me? Maybe... would signing a beat up Dutch striker who has been injured for a year convince me?? Probably not. Would signing Usain Bolt convince me?? Absol-bloody-lutely.

 

[Rowdy]

• We need something to ignite crowd numbers, which Bolt would do,
• but we need to have something to keep them there - which winning would do.
• Getting both of those things is the ultimate,
• improved squad can create the base for winning enough games to make the finals, • it goes a very very long way to digging us out of the hole we are in.
• Increased sponsors,
• increased awareness,
• increased crowds
• increased memberships.
• have him fill the Buhagier gap
• sell out every stadium he goes to for a year

When you break it down into individual points (as I have from your post which mentions many from urself & others) It's clear everyone's hopes & opinions on what could or needs to happen
....... it really is a massive crap shoot
...... 'stars need to align' thingy.

It'll only take just 2 or 3 of the negative possible outcomes to occur for us to be even deeper in having ...

a very very long way to digging us out of the hole we('ll be ) in.

And you mentioned the The CCM Brand:
- 'the little club that could' mantra would be in tatters, I've already read multiple articles online about how 'we're trying to be something we're NOT'

 

[Rowdy]

It will be a juggling act for MMM if he is signed.

I cant see that Monty and MMM would be

I must ask .... its obvious to me your refering to Mike Mulvey (MM) but I admit I've missed what the additional M is representing in the acro of MMM ??

 

[Ozhammer]

I must ask .... its obvious to me your refering to Mike Mulvey (MM) but I admit I've missed what the additional M is representing in the acro of MMM ??

Messiah Mike Mulvey

 

[pjennings]

Someone came up with Magic Mike or Magic Mike Mulvey - it may have been Recky. Shorthand it became MMM