At the risk of sounding like JD, we should be aiming higher, or if you like 'pipe dreaming'.
Look at the quality of players that have come out to the HAL purely in name only. Yorke, Heskey, Fowler, ADP.... Ok they are 'big names' that did not necessarily do it but the point is, clubs dared to aim high. We should too. I'm not saying go after a big name for the sake of it but why not try to target a player that is quality or perceived quality. Yes Gareth has said this and Rob has said that but I also think they need to take a serious look around at the level of recruitment that some clubs are doing. MCFC, Sydney and Perth look to be better teams this year and those were the clubs we knocked about with at the same part of the table. At some point, if you throw enough mud at a wall, a bit will stick so we should try to aim high for our import slot in the hope that someone like Ifill says 'yeah, why not'.
If I were Ernie, I'd target every single striker on that list and throw them a bone. The chances are high they will all say no but if you get one that says yes....
List of All Foreign Players in the A-League to Date By Country:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign_A-League_players
We'd do better to target say Dutch players than British ones though - British players generally have a poor track record when playing overseas going back to the days of Ian Rush and Luther Blissett who were hopeless in Italy in the 1980's. They don't adjust well to foreign playing styles and conditions - not many British players have exactly set the A-League on fire - Ifill being very much an exception (he's technically a Barbadoes international anyway!).
Look at the list of 27 English players in A-League history, and most have been mediocre:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign_A-League_players#England
Scottish players - 13 of them, mostly forgettable: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign_A-League_players#Scotland
Look at the Dutch players in the A-League and most have been great - especially the recent ones such as Engelaar, Hersi and Jaliens. Patrick Zwaanswijk who retired last year, would be one of the best foreigners and best defenders in A-League history. Dutch players list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign_A-League_players#Netherlands
Of the 35 Brazilians who have played in the A-League only a very small number could be called worthwhile: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign_A-League_players#Brazil
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
"Phoenix till they lose"