So it looks like Sydney FC won't be making Didier Drogba their new marquee after all. Somewhere between Heathrow and Bangkok, it became apparent the Côte d'Ivoire superstar wasn't included in Chelsea's travelling party, so the Sky Blues search for someone to replace Marc Janko goes on.

By snubbing next week's exhibition match in Sydney, Drogba has made his intentions clear. On his way out of Stamford Bridge, but now seemingly set to join the exodus to the US, where David Beckham and Robbie Keane cleared the way for ageing EPL stars.

There's little doubt the MLS has superseded the A-League as the destination of choice of many decorated veterans for a final big payday. The challenge for Football Federation Australia, and the more ambitious clubs, is to redress the imbalance. At this stage of the A-League's evolution, box office stars remain a critical part of the equation.

Certainly the appetite for big names is clear. Over the next four days, more than 140,000 fans are expected to descend on ANZ Stadium to watch Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. That's the equivalent of more than seven home games for Sydney FC.