You do realise in a country which it is not the major code and battling respect in the mainstream , if he turns out as a joke in trialling or if given a contract it will set back the game further in the mainstream .
Short term exposure gained will turn into nasty commentary and ridicule from the media should he be a flop as expected and will turn off mainstream.

It is a chap gimmick which is ok to risk when your league has respect , but sure is folly when th league and the code is already a punching bag for mainstream media and is battling for respect and acceptance to mainstream .

The exposure is not sustainable, we are always looking for those quick sugar hits, no intention from anyone down here to play the long game and build something respectful. One way or another it’s going to end up making the league a laughing stock, are we that obsessed with metrics that we would exchange a couple of bigger crowds for the integrity of the competition?

Hell I’d probably turn up to this circus, but it would be just to have a laugh, and that’s pretty much why anyone else would go, then when it’s all said and done the masses will look back on it and say what a disaster this league is and it’s reputation will be even worse than what it is now.

Yep, I think this whole debacle is disgraceful, beyond a joke to begin with. 

Could you imagine a club in a league with promotion and relegation doing this?

You are aware the FFA has done NOTHING so far regarding Usain Bolt? If CCM want to sign him they can do it. Personally as a fan I'd be requesting a membership refund though.

I will 100% agree with you if the FFA fronts 1 cent for this.

Promotion and Relegation would fix this :)

If they are stupid enough to sign him, then yep bye bye but as it stands they could sign Ronald Mcdonald and still be there next season. 

He will still be more useful than Jerome Polenz was at Bris Roar.

FTFY

Can see CCM playing a 442 next season with Bolt and Simon up front. 
Should be beautiful possesion football at it's finest.

Was Folau ridiculed when he switched codes to a sport he'd never played before? Did everyone laugh at the AFL. You bunch are just like an over-protective mother not letting their kid out of the house for fear that anything and everything will kill them.

Bolt is not about pleasing us. If you threaten to stop supporting a club or the entire league over this then that show's how much of a pathetic football fan you are. 

Most of the general public have very little idea the A-League even exists. This is at least putting our league in people's mind all over the country and world. 

If he's crap he won't even get a contract so no one will see him play in any case! There's probably a very good chance the trial never even goes ahead

totally agree with this , the aleague barely has that much exposure any way and unfortunately, the Aleague is sort of treated as a joke league (Eurosnobs) anyway in Australia.So why not give the league more exposure by letting him play , it may even surprise the casual observer of the actual standard of the aleague

I think his main problem is gointo be outrunning the ball. :)

You're right, what better way to make the league look like a serious football league than by giving a contract to an olympic sprinter. We should call up Michael Phelps and ask if he wants a kickabout too, just think of the exposure!

Yeah why not crowds wil be great aahahahah

The difference is that the AFL is fully established and super strong. If a publicity stunt in the AFL doesn't go too well then there not much harm done, it bounces right back. The HAL is hardly established, has numerous deep issues and is still on very shaky legs. A bad publicity stunt in the HAL can have a hugely detrimental effects which takes time to recover from. It's a massive risk with little reward (maybe none). I'm genuinely surprised (arguably) the weakest club in the comp is even contemplating such a risky move.  I'm not even convinced if this goes ahead it will draw the crowd numbers people are anticipating. Even if they do show up, they are not likely to return with the CCM squad the way it is. One of their best players doesn't even want to show up. I wonder if this is the real reason DDS wants out. Maybe he doesn't want to be associated with the circus side show.

and possibly the offside trap ahahaha

What about Sachin Tendulkar????

Won't someone think of the Indian community?? METRICS!!!! 

nah the Indian Premiere league has already called dibs on him

Fuck it, let's just bring Yao Ming out of retirement and stick him in goals for the Victory, just think of the enormous Chinese community in Melbourne that would turn up! Yeah it would be an embarrassing gimmick, but just think of the attendances.

There is a big difference between Folau who switched from rugby to AFL compared to Bolt who ran fast in a straight line for a living to playing football at a professional level, get the fuck out of here with shit.
 
Pathetic Post. 

Why is it a risky move? To me, the risk seems very low, while the potential upside if it works is massive for both CCM and the league. I honestly have no idea what you people are whinging about. 

Meanwhile in Belgium & Portugal the game continues to be a success without gimmicks/PR stunts while attendance averages are only a measly 1,000 more people than in the A-league. 

The biggest take-away from the World Cup in Russia was "We need more bums on seats in the A-league". 

Geez i thought the crowds in Belgium and Portugal woulda been higher that that

It shocks many, including myself when I first saw it. However, in those countries a 3,000 person attendance isn't seen as the 'doom & gloom' metric that Fox Sports Federation Australia sees it as. 

They care more about the quality on the park. 

Its a lose lose
He will either be a complete embarassment (likely scenario)
Or he will do well which will be an indictment on the entire league. Bottom line whichever way this goes the league ends up a laughing stock.

In a lot of those leagues the stadiums only fit 5-10k..some are borderline npl venues. 

Do they have boutique stadiums or just happy to have normal size stadiums with largely empty seats ?

Correct as well.

Unlike the sham contracts A-league clubs are forced in to playing out of 50k capacity stadiums. Just ask Brisbane Roar. 

Oh question answered just seen the last post ahahah

Anderlecht, the most successful team in Belgium plays out of a stadium with 20k capacity. There are many other teams in that league that play out of stadiums around the 10-12k mark. 

In Portugal, 6 out of the 18 teams play in stadiums above 20k capacity, with the big 3 playing in huge stadiums above 50k. However the lower half of the league play in stadiums around 5-10k.

You would assume if he plays there will be lots of long ball over the top for him to run onto .Hey ,if nothing else ,he can teach a few young players how to take off quickly !