A late goal from Serbian star Milos Ninkovic gave Sydney FC a 1-0 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers, which had every reason to claim that the better team on the night went home empty-handed.

The match at a sold-out Allianz Stadium provided precious little in terms of football aesthetics but it was a fabulous contest that gave another demonstration of the magnitude of this event and what it means to the two clubs' supporters.

It was yet another memorable occasion that enhanced the image of the A-League among its loyal followers and the casual onlookers.

At this point the question needs to be asked: do we really need a third Sydney team that would give the city a minimum of nine derbies a season?

The main appeal of a city derby is its special nature.

Many players and coaches would say that a derby is just another game but that's not quite true, I think.

Derbies are extraordinary, hyped-up events that capture the imagination of the fans and the media and any player would do his utmost to be involved.

Three derbies a season is enough to whet the appetite of the city's fans but would nine crosstown contests dilute the general interest and sense of anticipation?

Would the fans and the media be able to maintain their enthusiasm for such inter-city clashes when they know that there are nine of them spread out in the season, which in Australia's case is not even seven months long?

The 'old firm' derby in Glasgow is one of world football's most colourful and passionate events but Rangers versus Celtic lost much of its universal appeal when, for various reasons, the two giants collided four or five times a season.

Do we want such a stale scenario in Sydney, even though we are talking here about three teams not two?

Sky Blues coach Graham Arnold made a good point in the press conference afterwards when he paid tribute to the growing stature of the Sydney derby within Australia's sporting landscape.

"I just think we should be very happy with the spectacle," Arnold said.

"The NRL had 25,000 for a preliminary semi-final here and we're only in round three of the A-League and Sydney FC and the Wanderers get 40,000.

"Can you imagine if both of us make the grand final?

"Then it would have to be at ANZ Stadium."

The Sydney derby representing the city's cultural and geographical divide has certainly become a highlight of the A-League season, arguably a more appealing fixture than its Melbourne counterpart.

However for its special nature to be protected and prolonged the league must resist the temptation to tamper with the fans' genuine interest with three times as many derbies a season.

The Sydney derby works very well so let's keep it this way.

Too much of a good thing ...

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