All eyes were on Usain Bolt as he ran out for his second training session with the Central Coast Mariners.

The eight-time Olympic gold medallist is vying to sign with the A-League club on a reported $3 million contract.

But the question remains — will the bold move pay off?

It has not all been smooth sailing, and the 32-year-old Jamaican admits he is giving it his all to keep up.

"For me it's the stop and go, the tick tacks, because I am not used to going up and down up and down, back and forth. I think that's the most challenging," Bolt said.

It is still not clear if his unbeatable speed will translate to the soccer field.

"The thing he is struggling with more than anything now is getting used to the football fitness," Mariners coach Mike Mulvey said.

"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.

"He is doing okay, he has rudimentary skills — it's about doing it at the speed we need."

Benched on the weekend when the Mariners played the Newcastle Jets, Bolt has to earn his spot in the squad.

Mulvey said he would get some game time on the wing this Friday during a friendly against the Central Coast Select, a team made up of players from the Central Coast Premier League.

But even an athlete of Bolt's status is not immune to first-game jitters.

"It's not like a charity game anymore — this is the career that I am pursuing," Bolt said.

"There will be nerves but I expect to make mistakes, but I also expect to go in and make myself proud."

Track to pitch no easy transition

The Bolt effect is certainly spreading as NSW State of Origin coach Brad Fittler and former Australian sprinting champion Matt Shirvington turned up to training to see him in action.

"Anyone that's attempted to sprint looks up to Usain. When I told my daughter I was interviewing him she said, 'That must make you feel pretty bad … he is better than you'," Shirvington said.

Sorry, this video has expired Usain Bolt joined his first training session with the Mariners a week ago

He said there were not many track and field athletes that could make such a switch.

"He is the pinnacle of physical performance. You think about 12.2 metres per second, you click your fingers and he has covered it … almost three metres every step," Shirvington said.

"The physicality of what his body can do is phenomenal."

Two hours of training looked gruelling for Bolt, and at times the left-footer struggled to keep up, however his teammates said it was a privilege to have him around and he was fitting in.

"From the get go he said he just wanted to get treated like one of the boys, and I've got nothing but positive things to say about him, he's a very humble guy," Mariners leading goal scorer Matt Simon said.

Despite the heightened attention, the Mariners said the publicity was not going to their heads.

"When Usain Bolt walks through the door you don't lower your standards — so I've seen an uplift in the quality," Mulvey said.

Up to 20,000 people are expected to turn out to Central Coast Stadium on Friday to watch the fastest man on earth's soccer debut on Australian soil.

With eight weeks until the A-League season kicks off, Bolt has time up his sleeve.

It is then up to the club to decide if he gets a contract.