El**ch on a mission to find mojo

But his dad, Mahmoud, was one step ahead of the game. Flush with excitement, El**ch phoned home to Sydney to outline his plans, only to find the money had already been spent. A block of units may not have quite the same street cred, but subsequent events confirmed the adage: father knows best.

Injuries ended up sabotaging El**ch's hopes of fame and fortune at Craven Cottage, and two years later he's back home in his old bedroom at Merrylands, making the daily commute to Gosford, where he's rebuilding his career at Central Coast Mariners. There's no Porsche, there never was, and the Mariners' sponsorship deal with the NSW Motor Accident Authority ensures he keeps to the speed limit whenever he's on the F3.

There's no Premiership wages, either, but the rent keeps rolling in, and will continue to do so long after the shelf life of a shiny new car.

"When I rang Dad to say I wanted to buy a Porsche, he said, 'Do that, and you'll cop it when you get home,"' El**ch recalls. "I was cooking at the time, because he'd already bought the units, but it's probably the best advice I've ever had. You're over there, you get caught up in all the hype, and you think it's going to last forever. Looking back, thank God he said that."

El**ch, 27, knows all about the highs and lows of professional football, but to his great credit, he keeps bouncing back. There was the Marston Medal for best player in the last grand final of the old NSL (2004), a semi-permanent place in the national team under Frank Farina, and a move to the bright lights of west London.

But there has also been a contract dispute with Korean club Busan I'Park, which put him out of the game for six months, a knee injury that destroyed his second season with Fulham, and perhaps the biggest disappointment of all - being left out of the 2006 World Cup squad.

Throughout the tribulations, El**ch has rarely lost his smile, or his big heart. Generous to a fault, he makes a habit whenever he's travelling of buying expensive watches for his friends and family - happy to share his good fortune, and his company. While Europe helped set him up financially for life, money didn't compensate for the homesickness he could never quite shake off.

"I come from a big Lebanese family. Growing up, there were always heaps of people around, so when you're on your own, a long way from home, it can get lonely," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I've got no regrets about going overseas. It was a fantastic learning experience being surrounded by so many good players, and it taught me a lot.

"Financially, it was great � and it's helped set me up. I've got quite a few properties, and I've been able to look after my family as well. But it's not all about money, either. It's about playing, and being happy, and that's why this is so perfect. I probably played my best football when I was with Parramatta Power, so being close to home, where I'm comfortable, is definitely good for my game."

El**ch's hope when he decided to return last year was to sign for home-town team Sydney FC, but the opportunity never arose. After a brief stint last season with Wellington Phoenix, he now has the next best thing. The one-time Socceroos winger will be proudly wearing the yellow and blue of the Mariners when Sydney FC visit Gosford tomorrow - not because he has something to prove, but because he's so content.

"I knew [Mariners coach] Lawrie [McKinna] from my Parramatta days, so I feel very comfortable working with him," he said. "It's a great club, and they're a great bunch of boys. It's been so easy to fit in. My targets are simple: to enjoy my footy again. I want to get in behind defences and cause problems, and I want to contribute off the field as well, to keep the boys happy."

It's been slow progress for El**ch - whose game is all about pace and power - but the signs are that he's turned a significant corner. Playing directly against younger brother Tarek in last weekend's season-opener against Newcastle Jets, there was a defining moment in the second half.

Tarek took off on a 60-metre surge towards the goalmouth, but was shouldered off the ball in the shadow of the upright just as he was about to shoot. Bragging rights to elder brother, and he's keen to elaborate.

"When he took off, I thought, 'Oh sh*t'," Ahmad said. "He had the head start, and I had to turn and chase. But I knew I'd get him, and I reckon if we did the 100m I'd beat him. In fact, I know I would."

El**ch is not quite back to the whippet-like build he had during his salad days at the Athens Olympics, but he's getting there. "At the Olympics, I was 77 kilograms, and that's probably the fittest I've ever been," he said. "When I was at Fulham, I was 82kg, and at the moment I'm 84kg, and 'Clarky' [Mariners conditioning coach Andrew Clark] is trying to get me down to 81kg. I've given up the Coca-Cola, I haven't missed any sessions, Clarky's had the GPS on me and he's happy, so things are going good. I feel lean, I feel sharp, and I feel fitter than I have for a while. I'm sure I'll get there in the end."

If El**ch does rediscover his mojo, he might yet wear a green-and-gold shirt again. It's been almost three years since the most recent of his 17 caps, but he's young enough to get a second chance.

"Playing for your country, nothing beats it, but I'm not looking that far ahead," he said. "I do miss it, but it's one step at a time. The target is to play well, be happy, and help the Mariners. Anything else is a bonus."