Usain is a great role model for us – Menzies

GRENOBLE, France:

Reggae Girlz head coach Hue Menzies might not be overly impressed with Usain Bolt's football skills but he credited the former sprinter's determination and is hoping his support of the national women's team will encourage increased support for the programme.

Bolt famously pursued a career in football after retiring from athletics, following the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London.

The eight-time Olympic champion and record holder in the 100m and 200m, who had training stints with several clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, spent several weeks on trial at Australian A League outfit Central Coast Mariners.

However, the club and Bolt could not arrive at an agreement with the Jamaican later announcing that he would end his football ambitions.

Menzies joked that he had not heard good things about Bolt's skills on the football field, but welcomed his support of the Girlz, and is hoping it will bring more fans and sponsorship dollars to Jamaica's women's football programme.

The sprinter encouraged the Girlz during a Skype call before their 5-0 loss to Italy in Reims and has publicly expressed his support for the team.

"Everybody told me his first touch was so bad it took him to (New Zealand)," Menzies laughed.

HUGE RESPECT

"Usain is a great role model for us, he has been on Skype the other day and spoke to the girls and he is a massive role model for our country. He wears the flag high. The respect I have for him (is huge). He's one of the few athletes who could have easily trained outside the country but he decided to train in Jamaica. He kept his roots, and that's something I respect about him. He hasn't changed from when he was 17 until now," said Menzies.

"Him playing football is his dream. He's always been that way, he told me that personally, that he prefers football to track, so I think he's trying to live his life to try to get involved in football. I hope he gets on our bandwagon because he is such a positive force and he brings a lot of confidence to our group," Menzies noted.

Jamaica lost 4-1 to Australia at the Stade des Alpes yesterday with Havana Solaun scoring the island's first goal at the FIFA Women's World Cup with Sam Kerr scoring all four goals for Australia.

- A.L.