Bolt Losing Passion For Man U As Van Gaal's Tenure Drags On

Sprint mega-star Usain Bolt, who considers himself a life-long Manchester United fan, and who previously expressed a desire to play for his favourite Barclays English Premier League team after retiring from athletics, says his passion for the club is disappearing as the tenure of current dutch manager Louis van Gaal drags on.

Twenty-nine-year-old Bolt, who has dominated world sprinting with individual world records in the 100m (9.58), 200m (19.19), has announced plans to hang up his illustrious running shoes at the end of this year’s Olympic in Rio, Brazil.

Bolt was responding to a reporter following his sixth RJR Sports Foundation National Sportsman of the Year award win at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, last Friday night.

“Well looking at how (Louis) van Gaal is. I don’t think I would ever want to be coached by van Gaal so I think I will put that on pause until we get a new coach,” the Manchester club.

Bolt explained to Andy Goldstein's Celebrity Reds on MUTV in November “how he once discussed the idea of a trial with former boss Sir Alex Ferguson”.

The now 74-year-old Ferguson retired as Manchester United's most successful manager in 2013 after 25 years in charge at the club.

Meanwhile, current coach van Gaal led the Netherlands to a third-place finish at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, prior to his appointment to Manchester United.

In his first season, van Gaal led United to fourth place in the UEFA Champions League football, but were eliminated.

They are currently fifth in the league, with the much-criticised Dutch manager linked with the exit door following another topsy-turvy season for the Manchester–based team.

MANCHESTER UNITED NEWS: ANTHONY MARTIAL IS PREMIER LEAGUE'S FASTEST PLAYER

Anthony Martial of Manchester United shoots from close range during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield, January 17. According to official statistics, Martial is the league's joint-fastest player.

Is that blinding blur on the Old Trafford pitch a bird? A plane? A Train à Grande Vitesse?

No, it’s Anthony Martial, Manchester United’s teenage striking sensation.

During the 3-3 draw with Newcastle United at St. James’ Park on January 12, Martial was clocked by the EA Sports Performance Index running at 35.4km/h over five seconds—or 22mph.

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That equals the record for this English Premier League season held by Jamie Vardy, the Leicester City striker.

Martial’s speed is startlingly impressive given that a footballer will never run in a completely straight line, as a track sprinter does, with short bursts of pace followed by rapid changes of direction prioritized.

Usain Bolt, in smashing his own 100 meters world record at the World Championships in Athletics in Berlin in 2009, was timed at an average of 23.5mph or 37.8km/h over 9.58 seconds with a top speed of 30mph.

Neither, of course, has anything on the cheetah, which can reach 110-120km/h or 68.3 to 74.5mph over distances of less than 500 meters. In August 2012, a female of the species called Sarah broke her own land speed record for an animal, running 100 meters in 5.95 seconds. Her skill with a football remains as yet unknown and untapped.

And Martial will not be rivaling the peregrine falcon anytime soon, the bird of prey that is believed to be able to reach 240mph (386.2km/h) when it swoops down towards the ground for prey.

But the confirmation of the Frenchman’s speed will be enough to catch your average Premier League defender on the hop.