Brisbane Roar have plunged into the English third and fourth tiers to source the crux of their off-season signing bonanza, with attacking midfielder O'Shea promising to be the pick of the lot.

The Bury stalwart, who has also represented the likes of MK Dons and Chesterfield in a nomadic career, arrives in Australia with a decent goalscoring record and the versatility to play across multiple attacking positions.

With multiple Player of the Month awards and a League One and League Two winner trophy under his belt, Fowler is hoping O'Shea not only delivers excitement but poise and maturity as well.

At 30 years old, the reigning League Two Team of the Year player promises he still has a lot to offer, despite the transition to football on another continent. 

“Coming to the other side of the world, it’s going to be difficult if you don’t know anyone but I knew a few of the lads and all the Australian boys have welcomed me in straight away,” O'Shea told Brisbane's website after his first training sessions.

“It’s been tough. I had a bit of jet lag and been trying to get used to the sleeping patterns but the training has been brilliant."

The big question hanging over Brisbane's head this season, as Fowler's presence heaps additional pressure onto otherwise low expectations, is: Can those who excel in England's fourth tier, excel at Australia's elite level?

As the quality of both the A-League and English lower divisions continues to develop exponentially due to an overflow of talented footballers internationally, many Brits are setting a precedent, voicing their delight in choosing Australia over the third or fourth tiers.

The likes of Adam Le Fondre and O'Shea's fellow Brissie striker, Roy O'Donovan, have shown that at the end of their Championship careers, rather than acquiesce to a soggy pitch in Bury, they can dominate on a sunny afternoon in Gosford.

However, how far down the English chain this dominance can extend is unclear. The average displays of Central Coast Mariners' Sheffield United loanees last season were a reminder that the A-League is far from a dumping ground for English talent - or lack thereof.

As part of a growing Brit brigade at Roar, O'Shea is one of many hoping to re-energise their career under the guise of Liverpool's goalscoring legend and make their mark on the A-League in the process.

O'Shea insists there are positive signs already.

“All the lads are working really hard and the staff are trying to establish a style of play already and letting us know early on how we want to play," he said.

"It’s been a great couple of weeks, I feel like I’ve settled in already.”