JAPAN - 11

Japan have certainly proven good bang for their buck, with the A-League - despite the J-League's position as one of the wealthiest football leagues in the world - able to attract two of the country's greatest footballers for spells in Oz.

There were a few wary signings in the beginning, with both Sydney and Perth Glory signing Japanese imports for their inaugural A-League seasons - Perth going on to have notable success with a little fan favourite called Ryo Nagai.

Then there was a slight lull, until Shinji Ono changed the attitude towards Asian marquees forever.

While Keisuke Honda proved a much-needed publicity injection - at least in Melbourne - for a league struggling for foreign stardom and bums on seats, Ono will go down in the history books alongside Dwight Yorke as a truly club-building import.

Ono set a trend that the Wanderers attempted to follow, with mixed success. Jumpei Kusukami lasted a couple of seasons in Wanderland, while Yojiro Takahagi and Yusuke Tanaka were shorter lived.

But no one will compare to the Genius.

Highlight: Can anyone even tell us exactly what this is?

 

SERBIA - 12

Sydney FC's strong habit of plucking gems out of Eastern Europe has been at the heart of Serbia's strong numbers in the A-League, beating all of our Asian neighbours with 12 imports over the years.

The Sky Blues have benefited hugely from these relationships and word of mouth, with Milos Ninkovic becoming one of the greatest A-League players of all time (and advertisements for other foreigners).

But Milos Dimitrijevic and Nikola Petkovic were also loyal servants in their spells in the Harbour City, while Nebosja Marinkovic, Andrija Kaluderovic and Branko Jelic offered notable spells.

Highlight: Ninkovic's stunning solo strike against the Jets, what else?