From Junior To Head Coach: Elrich Leads Parramatta Back To League One

For Tarek Elrich, Parramatta FC’s promotion to the Football NSW League One Men’s competition represents far more than a successful season.

Having played for the Eagles at junior level, Elrich has now helped guide his boyhood club back into the state’s second tier for the first time since 2017, securing promotion following a dramatic playoff victory over Prospect United SC.

It is a journey that has been years in the making.

Parramatta approached the 2026 season one game at a time, refusing to get too far ahead of themselves, but as the campaign progressed, belief began to grow within the squad.

Elrich believes the turning point came late in the season when the Eagles defeated Bonnyrigg White Eagles in Round 28.

“We just kept kicking on and the games we lost, the teams around us dropped points as well. I really believed in the boys we had, and we just went on a mad run,” Elrich said.

“When we played Bonnyrigg at home and we got that win… I thought, ‘I’ve got something here with these boys.’”

That belief ultimately translated into a second-place finish in League Two Men’s before Parramatta navigated the Promotion/Relegation Playoff against Prospect.

The Eagles won the first leg 4-1 before securing promotion with a 5-3 aggregate victory, despite losing the second leg 2-1.

For Elrich, the achievement was built on a squad that blended experienced leaders with emerging talent.

“My coaching job became very easy when I’ve got the likes of Marco Sama, Travis Oughtred, Justin Biega. They really carried these boys through the season,” Elrich said.

“And the young boys, they really stepped it up, really pushed everyone; it was the whole squad who got us through.”

One of those senior figures was captain Travis Oughtred, a player Elrich knows particularly well from their time together at Mt Druitt Town Rangers in the NPL NSW.

The relationship eventually came full circle at Parramatta.

“I said, ‘One day, we are going to play in each other’s teams again’. When I came to Parramatta, I reached out to him, he took a pay cut and this year really led the team with him and Sama being our captains,” Elrich said.

“You do not find players like that. Credit to him for looking after himself, the way he handled himself and got through this season. I could not have asked for two better leaders than Travis and Marco.”

The promotion also carries a strong personal significance for Elrich.

Having come through Parramatta’s junior system himself, he watched from afar during his playing career as the club went through a difficult period.

While playing in the A-League, Elrich continued to keep an eye on the Eagles and was disappointed to see the club slide down the Football NSW pyramid.

Now, he has played a major role in helping turn that journey around.

“From afar, when I was playing A-League, I kept an eye on the NPL and what was going on at Parramatta and it was disappointing to see it going the direction it was going in,” Elrich said.

“It will definitely be a happy moment of mine if we can get Parramatta back to the top, where they belong.”

The Eagles will now face a new challenge in 2027.

The League One Men’s competition will provide a significant step up in quality, with Elrich already aware that his squad will need to adapt while continuing to develop.

“It is going to be different. I think we are going to play against teams who like to play a bit different to where we were this season,” he said.

The priority, however, is not to get carried away by the achievement.

“We will keep building, keep growing slowly, do not get ahead of ourselves. Yes, we enjoy this moment, but we plan for the season ahead.”

“We have definitely built something strong and now it is about keeping them together for as long as we can.”

For a club with such a proud history, promotion represents another important step in Parramatta’s resurgence.

For Elrich, it is also a personal milestone — helping the club where he began his football journey take another step back towards the top of the NSW football pyramid.

The celebrations can now begin.

But for Elrich and Parramatta, the message is already clear.

The journey is not over.

By Football NSW League Two Men’s Reporter, Dylan Costa