I agree that player selection should be done on ability not on whether they are Brazilian or not. The problem witht the A-League Brazilians is that often they are selected unseen, based on agents reports or on past reputations.
Ricki and Pignata are planning to go to Brazil personally to check out the talent, which is the right way to do it. The problem with recruiting in Europe, especially the UK is that saleries are so big, that it is hard afford star players( e.g average salary of a striker in first Div is around 500,000 pounds the next level up is 850,000 pounds, which is threequarters of the salary cap in the A-League)
That is what makes Brazil so exciting. They produce so many talented players that it is easier to find a gem at a price we can afford. The hard part is finding the right one.