Usain Bolt is likely to play some part for the Central Coast Mariners in a trial game on Friday night, head coach Mike Mulvey has said.
The Olympic sprint champion has gone through vigorous individual sessions and Mulvey said he was pleased by the progression shown by the 32-year-old.
He said: “For this Friday, it comes down to what the fitness coaches tell me with regards to how his body’s coping with the loading we’ve got at the moment. But I would imagine he’s going to be playing some part on Friday.
“Well you’ll see that (where he will play) on Friday, he can play in a number of positions, we’ll see what best suits the team on Friday.
“When you do track and field it’s virtually a straight line and a track coach will never ask you to decelerate or accelerate the way that we do, it’s multidirectional movement in football, so he has to get used to that.
“I’m quite pleased with the way he’s progressing, and he’ll be sore every night, because the sessions are quite gruelling, but he’s determined.”
The 100m and 200m world-record holder is currently having an indefinite trial with the Mariners as he bids to earn himself a sport-swapping contract for the forthcoming A-League season which starts in October.
Speaking on Tuesday, Bolt said: “I don’t know how my body is going to feel, I know when I get on the field I am going to push myself to the limit, it’s just about work. The season doesn’t start until October, so I have time, and it’s about being smart.
“There will be nerves, it’s not like it’s a charity game any more. There will be nerves, I expect to make mistakes but I also expect to make myself proud and to push myself.”
