McCabe said it would be easy for Sheffield United to play matches in Asia in the future.

"We’ve taken the team to China before the season, two seasons before we got promoted," he said.

"It’s a small world. It’s not a problem and that’s the difference – you can get paid for it. You can’t in the Championship; it’s nickels and dimes. Here it’s big bucks."

Several Australian players have played for the Blades in the past, including Socceroo David Carney, and McCabe wants to see more Antipodeans in the red and white in the future.

"Australian football has gone backwards, as has Chinese football. But what goes up…. It swings north-south-east-west.

"The Aussies are the same as the Brits, they’ve got the structure for football but they seem to be not in the same [vein] as they were in Harry Kewell’s day, or the lads here Shaun Murphy, Dougie Hodgson.

"Good Aussies – we need some more. I’ve been on to my mate at Central Coast Mariners. We’ve got Nick Montgomery out there, I’m telling him to do his bit now."