Key members of Adelaide United’s incredible Hyundai A-League 2015/16 Championship and Premiership double joined Jarrod Walsh for episode 3 of The Pitch at Home, brought to you by RAA.
Marcelo Carrusca, Bruce Djite, Tarek Elrich and Iacopo La Rocca discussed the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on them and their families, whilst also revealing that the camaraderie in the squad around the time between circa 2013 and 2016 was the most enjoyable in their footballing careers.
Djite, now Director of Football at the Club, spent seven seasons as a player across two spells, disclosed that the moments he cherishes the most as a footballer was around the time of winning the Championship.
“It’s very rare you get that dynamic,” Djite said about the players being extremely close not only on the pitch but off it.
“So for me and I think for everyone on this call I think it was fantastic, the camaraderie.
“Like look at it now, everyone still talks to each other, we’re still in contact constantly.
“I wouldn’t go a couple of months without speaking to the boys, so family sticks together. We did that.
“And even after I went overseas, other players went overseas, other players left the Club, through that two to three-year period when the Spaniards were there, it was really a very special period.”
Elrich, who joined Adelaide in 2013 and spent five years with the Reds, agreed with his former teammate, stating nothing will compare to the kinship and togetherness shared in that dressing room.
“For me we had a great bunch of boys both on and off the pitch,” Elrich reflected.
“We had each other’s backs and we had some great drives us four.
“We used to drive in Flaco’s (Iacopo La Rocca) car, he didn’t use the air conditioner which is great in Elizabeth in the summer.
“But we had great times, honestly memories I’ll never forget. Probably the most enjoyment I’ve had in my career for sure.”
Argentine sensation, Marcelo Carrusca, was also an integral cog in Adelaide’s successful period which saw the South Australians claim the inaugural FFA Cup in 2014 before securing the league double in 2016.
The former Galatasaray midfielder left the Reds in 2017 and experienced stints with Melbourne City and Western Sydney Wanderers, before retiring and returning to Adelaide where he has set up his own football academy.
“Adelaide is my city, it’s my home now,” Carrusca said.
“That’s why we decided to stay and keep living in Australia because Adelaide is a great city and all these boys know about it.
“And I’ve always been telling them, ‘why are you moving to Sydney or Melbourne come here we have a beautiful life here’.
“Five minutes we have the beach and we the best restaurants and cafés here that I know.”
