In Argentina it's River Plate. In Spain, Real Madrid. England has Manchester United and Chelsea.

These are hugely successful clubs, and yet countless fans around the world hate them with an undying passion. Why? Because their repeated triumphs seems to be unfairly founded on money.

For the same reason, many Aussie fans already begrudge the achievements of Sydney "Bling" FC. And if Clive Palmer and Miron Bleiberg are not careful, it could be the reason why people will hate Gold Coast United too.

It doesn't have to be that way, and I hope it won't be.

The FFA was quick to jump on rumours this week that a lucrative offer to Jason Culina might have breached the "spirit" of the salary cap. It looks like the deal involved a generous "Thank You" payoff from Culina's current club, and you can guess where that money would be coming from.

I suppose you can't blame Palmer or Culina's agents for trying to exploit a loophole. And it would certainly be wonderful to see players like Culina joining the A-League at Skilled Park. But I'd prefer to see the Gold Coast build a team of talented players without breaking the rules. If other clubs can do it, why can't we?

"The cap is here to stay," insisted FFA chief Ben Buckley. "It remains a very important part of our strategy."

Too right. It won't do anyone any good if certain teams are regularly getting walloped 5-0, or if a founding club goes under. But we can already see some financial differentiation at work, and not just because of the Gold Coast.

Adelaide are looking at a massive payout for their ACL success, with Central Coast set to follow. Frank Lowy's Sydney team are never short of a dollar, and Melbourne's big crowds keep the coffers full. But a few other teams are already showing signs of struggle.

Clive Palmer and other CEO's will no doubt be pushing the FFA to increase the salary cap next season, and allow more foreign players on each team. They will argue that it's for the good of the game, and a natural part of the A-league's evolution.

There is some truth in that. But (like it or not) we need a few more teams on board, and a few more bums on seats in the stadiums, before the A-League is ready for European-style financial bloodsports.

Of course I want my Gold Coast team to be successful, but not at the expense of the A-League. I also want us to have some soul. Bleiberg seems to be relishing his extraordinary opportunity to select quality players from home and abroad, while pursing a vision of play which should bring pleasure to football purists around the nation.

The confirmed signings to date are high calibre, but more modest than the endless hype might suggest. Maybe that's a good thing.

Meanwhile, the frenzied talk surrounding transfers and signings makes for wonderful entertainment! Enjoy!