USAIN Bolt could be on his way out of the Mariners, with the sprinting legend having reportedly rejected a contract offer from the club.

Fox Sports’ Daniel Garb said he expected Bolt’s trial at Gosford to come to an end “pretty quickly”, with Bolt and the club set to part ways.

“It looks like the Usain Bolt trial is set to end pretty quickly. I think it’s run its race — pardon the pun,” Garb said on Fox Sports News on Monday night.

“The deal that’s been offered is set to be rejected, we understand, and that’s the latest news doing the rounds at the moment that Usain Bolt — it could be revealed overnight, probably tomorrow, it’s all set to end — his role at Gosford, and the Central Coast Mariners, and onwards the club moves and onwards Usain Bolt moves.

“But it won’t be together, that’s the understanding.”

The speculation around Bolt’s future had kicked into overdrive, especially when A-League boss Greg O’Rourke said the Mariners had offered him a contract.

“I understand from Central Coast Mariners that they have tabled an offer to Usain Bolt’s management, which he is considering,” O’Rourke told SEN radio on Monday.

“That offer is much, much less than (the Bolt camp) were originally requesting.

“And that’s really reflected that if Usain wants to join the club and become a footballer he should follow a journey pretty similar to any trialist, not withstanding for a minute the amount of marketing that somebody like Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, can bring to the Central Coast and the broader A-League.”

Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt. (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP) Source: AFP

Garb queried why the FFA had commented on Bolt’s future before the Mariners.

“It’s a bit messy, I mean I don’t know why the FFA’s commenting on an issue before the Mariners do, they’re not involved in this recruitment, so they should be staying out of this,” he said.

“So I think that was a bit of a slip-up by them.

“But I don’t think it’s going to matter too much overall because my understanding is Usain Bolt is set to leave the Central Coast, that he won’t be signing a deal and that will be the end of the trial.

“We’ll wait and see what transpires, maybe there’ll be a U-turn over the next few hours or so. But it wouldn’t surprise if over the next 24 to 48 hours, that is confirmed.”

Garb said it was clear Mariners coach Mike Mulvey didn’t want to sign Bolt, and that likely contributed to the sprinter’s reluctance to sign a contract.

Usain Bolt. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

“It’s weird. I guess from his perspective, the coach has made it pretty clear he doesn’t want him. Didn’t he?” Garb said.

“In an interview in Brisbane after that 1-1 draw with the Roar, it was pretty clear the coach said ‘it was great having you here, we’ve given you a chance, you’ve been great for the Mariners and for Australian football with what you’ve done but you’re not up to it and I’ve got to pick a squad and how can I leave out a proper footballer who can maybe win me a game over someone who’s unfortunately, there just to bring people through the gates.’

“He’s not up to that standard. It’s a very difficult sport to play if you haven’t played it your whole life. So no skin off his backend in that respect but that’s just the reality.

“So if the coach doesn’t want you, I don’t see how it can move forward.

“So even if a deal was offered, and I don’t understand why Usain Bolt wouldn’t accept it because finances shouldn’t come into it, but surely that’s just where it ends, if the coach doesn’t want you, and off you go.”

Garb said he wasn’t sure whether Bolt would land elsewhere — like Malta, where he reportedly received a contract offer — but he believed he would not stay at Gosford.

“I don’t know about that (Malta). I’m not sure where he goes from here on in,” he said.

“But it seems pretty clear that it won’t be with the Central Coast and yeah, it wouldn’t surprise me if in the next 24 to 48 hours, that trial (ends).”