Elrich tells us:
::How football has shaped him as a person
::Why he would choose Cristiano Ronaldo as a dinner partner over Kate Upton
::That you can take the boy out of the west, but not the "westie" out of the boy
::What his family means to him
::Why playing football under Josep Gombau's coaching is so enjoyable
Q: You were born on 1 January, so even with football getting in the way at times have you had a few blasts on New Year's Eve over the years, ringing in the new year as well as celebrating your birthday?
A: I've had some good times, mostly in my younger days. My time at Newcastle brings back some great memories. Now that I'm a bit older it's not such a celebration any more - it's a bit depressing. Mate, time's flying. I remember growing up and then playing my first few years at Newcastle and Nicky Carle and Matt Thompson were 26 or 27 and I'm thinking 'gee, they're old', you know? Now I'm 28 and I'm like 'wow, that went quick'. But I'm going all right.
Q: You're a westie, coming from Auburn, in Sydney. Do you subscribe to the theory that you can take the boy out of the west, but you can't take the westie out of the boy?
A: Oh, of course. I moved out of home when I was 17 and now I'm in Adelaide and the boys have a joke, saying 'you're so from western Sydney'. It's always in you and I always say to people that after football I can only see myself back at west Sydney with my friends and my family and where I grew up. It's a great place, there's so much to do and every chance I get to go home I'm on the next flight to Sydney.
Q: Why is football important to you?
A: Oh, look, it has given me a good life. Growing up, my parents put my brother and I in the local football team and it kept me fit and healthy and kept me off the streets as well. It makes you interact with other kids and it taught me a lot about cultures, other religions, other nationalities and I thank my parents every day for putting me into football. The game has given me everything I have now and I couldn't imagine my life without it.
Q: What are the other things most important to you in life?
A: Family is obviously number one, before football. If you told me I had to lose one family member or everything I've achieved in football and earned from the game, I'd definitely give my life for my family. Family is there through thick and thin and they're still there for me. When I'm happy, they're happy for me. I'm not married, but I've been seeing a girl back in Sydney for about a year and maybe looking to go that way. It's all going well. Apart from that, my mates, I've got a lot of friends in football and outside of football and they're very important to me as well.
Q: You sat on the bench for the Socceroos in a game in 2009, but you weren't used and you haven't played any other games for them. Has it been difficult to come to terms with being so close to representing your country, but not getting on the field?
A: I'd just turned 22, so I was young and I got the chance to be in the squad with guys like Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton, so it was great to be a part of it, a great experience. Playing for Australia is something I'd like to do in my career, but if I don't do it I'm not going to lose much sleep over it. I'm pretty happy with what I've achieved so far.
Q: You investigated the possibility of becoming a Lebanese international in 2012. Are you still hoping to play for Lebanon?
A: My contract in Newcastle was up and I had no club for three months and I was looking at other avenues to see what I could do to further my career. One that came up was to play for the Lebanese national team and hopefully get my career back on track. I went there, but it didn't feel right, probably because I'd been a part of the Australian team. They flew me over there and showed me around and they were very good about it. We spoke to FIFA and it fell through a bit, but it wasn't something my heart was set on. I always had dreams of playing for Australia and once I signed for Western Sydney Wanderers the idea of playing for Lebanon wasn't a major issue any more. I didn't pursue the Lebanon thing after that. It just didn't feel like it was the right thing to do.
Q: You won an A-League championship with Newcastle, but is Adelaide under Josep Gombau the football team you've been searching for all your senior career?
A: Oh, look, the football I'm playing at Adelaide is different to anything I've ever had from any coach in the A-League. He's got a different style of coaching as well, he's very friendly, down-to-earth, knows how to treat the players and all that, and he gives you confidence as a player, whereas in the past I felt like I was playing the game thinking that if I made a mistake I wasn't playing the following week. If I make a mistake, I know he's got my back. He gives you the confidence to try things and do things that I probably haven't done at previous clubs because I had that fear of being dropped inside of me. We won the FFA Cup and a few of the guys here had played their whole careers and not won any silverware. It's a great bunch of boys and now that I'm a bit older I feel like one of the more experienced players here. I have more responsibilities than I had when I won with Newcastle. What happened at Western Sydney and at the back end of Newcastle makes it more special for me to do well here, because a lot of people did write me off and say I was finished as a footballer.
Q: Now tell the truth, can you understand everything Josep Gombau says when he gets into gear and starts talking at a 100 miles an hour?
A: Ha ha. It's funny you say that, because if you don't know him or don't speak to him that often he's hard to understand. When I first signed here and spoke to him it was a bit difficult over the phone, but then, in person, you understand him. As footballers, we know what he is talking about.
Q: How do you switch off from football?
A: It's pretty easy. In Adelaide it's a bit cruisy, the beaches are five minutes down the road and they're beautiful as well. I've just been to lunch with the boys at a Lebanese restaurant here in Adelaide, so we're always hanging out. It's not hard to unwind and forget about football for a bit. It's a bit more relaxed now that I'm here and enjoying my football again.
Q: Pick one of these options and tell us why: Dinner with Kate Upton, Tony Abbott or Cristiano Ronaldo?
A: Ronaldo, for sure. He'd have some great stories. He'd be able to pay as well - he's got plenty of money!
Q: Hang on, I said Kate Upton. Are you crazy?
A: Mate, Ronaldo could bring any number of his female friends, you didn't rule that out! But, seriously, I'm solid in that area. It's not about that, I'd just love to share some of his experiences and hear him talk about some of the great things he has achieved in his life.
