So who benefits most when a team from another country takes part in a domestic league and how sustainable is such an arrangement? In the case of LionsXII, the picture has been clouded by the proposed start of the 2016 ASEAN Super League (ASL) next August. The ASL has strong Singapore backing that would see most Southeast Asian nations providing a side to play in a 12-team competition over an eight-month season. Clubs from outside the ASEAN region - Australia, New Zealand or Hong Kong, for example - could also potentially participate. Overall, the re-introduction of a Singapore team into Malaysian competitions after an absence of more than 15 years must be deemed a success. After being granted entry into the MSL in 2012, LionsXII won the league in 2013 under V. Sundramoorthy before Fandi Ahmad's side lifted the 2015 Malaysia FA Cup in May. Even with the absence of import players, LionsXII have been competitive and helped rekindle the cross-Causeway rivalry that filled stadiums, in both nations, during the 1980s and 1990s. At the same time, Malaysia's Harimau Muda have competed in the Singapore S.League as part of a reciprocal deal. But, despite healthy crowds and a buzz when LionsXII face old rivals like Selangor or Johor, such an arrangement has its limitations.

For example, when LionsXII won the MSL two years ago, they weren't eligible to represent Malaysia in Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions. Another problem is their artificial pitch at Jalan Besar Stadium, which makes the relatively expensive trek south for Malaysian teams even more unappealing. The sceptics point to LionsXII's appalling away record in arguing that the bouncy, plastic surface at Jalan Besar gives the Singaporeans an unfair advantage. Wellington Phoenix - who joined the A-League in 2007 - also represent a long and expensive road trip for the other nine A-League clubs and aren't eligible to play in AFC competitions should they qualify because New Zealand is part of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). Towards the end of last season, Wellington created club history by going top of the ladder for the first time - before fading to finish fourth. As much as it would have been embarrassing for FFA to have a New Zealand side claiming the title - especially with their Socceroo striker Nathan Burns winning the A-League player of the year award - they still wouldn't have been allowed to play in Asia. Last year, FFA extended the length of the licences of the nine Australia-based clubs until 2034. But FFA chairman David Gallop said that Phoenix's request for a long-term commitment was rejected because they had failed to perform well enough in terms of crowds, TV ratings and fan membership. "You can't expect to just squat on a licence in our competition," Gallop said on the FFA's official website. "At this stage on any metric, [Wellington Phoenix] are not performing at a level we would like for the growth of the competition."

In two of the last three A-League campaigns, Wellington have had the lowest regular season attendance. Last season, they were the second worst, above Central Coast Mariners, with an average of 8,583 compared to the league mark of 12,511. Phoenix captain Andrew Durante - a Sydney-born central defender who became a naturalised New Zealand citizen and All Whites' international - says that cutting the Phoenix from the A-League "would destroy football" in the nation. The push for a third Sydney team to join the A-League - potentially in the place of Wellington - comes from the football-rich area of the Sutherland shire, in the southern outskirts, and from the city of Wollongong, a further 50 kilometres south. The likes of Graham Arnold, Luke Wilkshire, Mile Sterjovski and Scott Chipperfield - and Australia's 1974 World Cup captain Peter Wilson - are all from the region. "It's our view that growth in the big metropolitan areas where there are millions of people - not areas where there are hundreds of thousands of people - is the right move for us," Gallop said. He added that the "ball's in their court" in terms of Wellington accepting a new four-year A-League licence until the end of the 2019-2020 season. In the cases of both Wellington and LionsXII, what is favourable for them may not be in the best, long-term interests of the leagues themselves. It may have been an enjoyable 'fling' - or marriage of convenience - but the partnership may not have the necessary elements of a lasting commitment.