Ahmad Elrich

Ahmad Elrich

Elrich playing for the Central Coast Mariners in 2009
Personal information
Full name Ahmad Elrich
Date of birth (1981-05-30) 30 May 1981
Place of birth Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Right Winger
Youth career
Bass Hill
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999 Parramatta Eagles 9 (0)
1999–2004 Parramatta Power 119 (19)
2004 Busan I'Cons 10 (1)
2005–2007 Fulham 6 (0)
2006 → Lyn Oslo (Loan) 6 (1)
2007–2008 Wellington Phoenix 13 (1)
2008–2010 Central Coast Mariners 15 (1)
Total 178 (23)
National team‡
2001 Australia U-20 17 (2)
2004 Australia U-23 9 (6)
2004–2006 Australia 17 (5)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 May 2011.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25 May 2011

Ahmad Elrich (born 30 May 1981 in Sydney) is a former Australian footballer. In May 2011 on a Granville Street, Elrich was pulled over by New South Wales police officers. During the traffic stop police found an illegal handgun in his vehicle. As a result, he was arrested on the scene and later charged with three counts of illegally carrying a loaded firearm in a public place.

Biography

He is of Lebanese descent[1] and is the older brother of Adelaide United player Tarek Elrich.[2][3]

Club career

Ahmad began his professional career at the Parramatta Eagles, his home club. Ahmed was born just West of the club's home ground.

At the end of his first season with the Eagles he toured Lebanon with a team of Lebanese-Australians. He was offered a contract with Nejmeh SC in Beirut but declined in favour of returning to Australia.[1]

Returning to Australia he signed with new NSL club Parramatta Power in the clubs inaugural squad. Ahmed cemented a first-team spot as a free-flowing winger here, including a memorable 2003-04 season where he was one of the league's leading assist getters, and played in the Grand Final at just 22. His time at the Parramatta Power was cut short, as the club and NSL met its demise.

He then moved to South Korean side Busan I'cons. After a protracted contract dispute that saw him on the sidelines for five months, Ahmed made his move to the English Premier League.[4][5]

Fulham

Elrich signed a 3-year deal with Fulham in the Summer of 2005 from K-League club Busan I'cons.[6] He was loaned out to FC Lyn Oslo from April to May 2006.[5][7]

After signing for Fulham and making his debut against Liverpool in a Premier League match, Elrich's first team appearances were few and far between, but despite signing a 3-year contract in 2006, his future at the club looked in doubt after not being given a squad number for the 2007-08 season and Fulham confirmed Elrich's departure on 4 September 2007.[8]

Return to Australia

Elrich playing for the Central Coast Mariners

Elrich signed a contract with the Wellington Phoenix in the A-League as their marquee player on 21 September 2007.[9] Elrich scored his first goal, in his first home game, for the Wellington Phoenix against Central Coast Mariners on 21 October 2007, which he described as the 'best goal of his career'. At the end of the 2007-08 season, Ahmad left the Wellington Phoenix to move back to Australia, moving to Central Coast Mariners to link up with several former Parramatta Power teammates. After limited appearances and poor form Ahmad Elrich was released by the Central Coast Mariners at the end of the 2009-2010 A-League season.[10]

International career

He represented Australia at the 2004 Summer Olympics. His inactivity for Fulham FC was seen as the key factor in him not being selected for the Australian World Cup squad.

On 6 September 2006, Elrich suffered a serious knee injury whilst playing for Australia in an Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait.

National team statistics

[11]

Australia national team
YearAppsGoals
2004103
200551
200621
Total175

International goals

Results list Australia's goal tally first.
Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
2 June 2004 Australia Adelaide  Fiji 1 goal 6-1 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
9 October 2004 Solomon Islands Honiara  Solomon Islands 1 goal 5-1 2004 OFC Nations Cup
12 October 2004 Australia Sydney  Solomon Islands 1 goal 6-0 2004 OFC Nations Cup
26 March 2005 Australia Sydney  Iraq 1 goal 2-1 Friendly match
22 February 2006 Bahrain Manama  Bahrain 1 goal 3-1 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Honours

With Australia:

Personal Honours

References

  1. 1 2 Cockerill, Michael (23 January 2004). "Elrich fills in the gaps". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 May 2011. I'm a Lebanese Muslim and I've achieved things.
  2. ↑ Cheng, Kevin (25 May 2011). "Former Socceroo and A-League star Ahmad Elrich to face 11 gun charges". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  3. ↑ "Meet the Families - Ahmad Elrich". The Ultimate Goal: Football, migration & the 2010 World Cup. Sydney, Australia: Migration Heritage Centre NSW. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  4. ↑ Cockerill, Michael (27 March 2004). "Elrich helps Socceroos get one up on friendly foes". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Elrich races his way to the big time". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 June 2011. 11 June 2005. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  6. ↑ "Ahmad Elrich joins". Fulham Official Website. 9 June 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Elrich joins FC Lyn". Fulham Official Website. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Transfer Round-Up". FulhamFC.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2007.
  9. ↑ "Ex-Socceroo Elrich signs with Phoenix".
  10. ↑ "Elrich On Gun Charges".
  11. ↑ Ahmad Elrich at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

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