Canberra Olympic want to bring the fastest man in history to the capital.
Usain Bolt has brought worldwide attention to the A-League and Central Coast Mariners as the eight-time Olympic champion tries to earn his first professional soccer contract.
Usain Bolt is on an indefinite trial at the Mariners, trying earn his first professional soccer contract.
Bolt arrived in Gosford last month for an "indefinite" trial and has already earned a guaranteed $3 million from the Mariners, but what he really wants to earn is a spot on their roster.
The 32-year-old wasn't disgraced in his first hit-out last weekend but he'll need plenty of improvement to earn a contract on merit.
Bolt drew almost 10,000 fans to the game and the club are considering keeping him no matter what happens as the publicity he brings is unprecedented, and Olympic want in on the action.
Olympic hosted A-League grand finalist Newcastle Jets last preseason and are keen to bring the Central Coast to town before their season kicks off on October 21.
Olympic will be in good form if a contest eventuates, they are preparing for a fourth straight grand final and will face Canberra FC at Deakin Stadium on Saturday.
The Mariners are open to playing in Canberra but said nothing was locked in. If Olympic miss out, at least one Canberra footballer could face Bolt.
Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Marc Tokich is in Young Socceroos camp on the Central Coast and will face the Mariners in a practice match on Friday.
Tokich came through the AIS Centre of Excellence and won the 2017 National Youth League player of the year, before signing with the Wanderers last season.
The Canberra FC junior made his debut against Melbourne City in January and started in Western Sydney's FFA Cup tie last week under new coach Markus Babbel.
Wanderers academy technical director Ian Crook brought Tokich through the ranks and backed the 19-year-old to become an A-League regular.
Usain Bolt brought 10,000 fans to his first Mariners appearance last weekend.
"All these boys have potential but it's the mentality that goes with that potential and I think Marc has got a really good mentality," Crook said.
"When he first came into our youth team he made the step very comfortably and became a good influence and then stepped into the first team and he's had an influence there in FFA Cup games.
"He’s technically good, he has a good passing range as a midfield player which you need, can play short or long and has good mobility.
"The older he gets he’ll get that physicality and training with the first team each day will assist him in improving in all departments, but his strength is technicality in possession."
Crook emphasised Tokich had gone from strength to strength in every step of his career and said there was no reason he couldn't play for the Socceroos one day.
"It all depends on Marc as an individual and growing up as a player and maturing as a player, but he certainly has the tools to do that," Crook said.
"To play at that international level your technique needs to be really sound because you're playing the best players in the world, and that's one thing he has got."
As for what advice he'd give Tokich if he's tasked with shutting down Bolt on Friday.
"I think it's fair to say you'd probably be sitting off him a little bit and making sure you don’t let him get in behind you," Crook said.
"Bolt has been fabulous for the game in terms of exposure, which is great, but I only watched a little bit of the game he played and obviously it's going to be difficult for him."
The Central Coast played two games A-League game at Canberra Stadium in the 2016-17 season, but after crowds of just 5000 showed up they opted not to come back.
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