Playing against some of the biggest attacking names in the game made the Ligue 1 a popular destination for footballers in recent years but it was those high-profile stars that pushed the attacking midfielder against the common trend of football economics. Despite being in his prime at 30, Ninkovic turned down the opportunity to remain in France for at least two years to move to the A-League and that has a lot to do with the cashed-up giants of France.

The sudden influx of wealth into the top echelon of Ligue 1 in France attracted the glitterati of world football but it has caused an adverse reaction for the purists and minnows.

"In France you have a few teams with a lot of money; Paris Saint Germain, Monaco and Marseille. Other teams who don't have a lot of money always play to defend, always," Ninkovic said. "If you played every game, it would just be 90 minutes of defending. It's very difficult to show something."

Unable to compete in financial terms and subsequently technical, the only hope players at small clubs have in matching it with the millionaires relies solely on tactics. For creative attacking players like Ninkovic, they seemed to constantly revert to the dour, negative and ugly side of football.

"If you play for Rennes, Caen or Evian, it's very difficult because nobody plays football. Sometimes it's actually good when you play against Paris Saint Germain because they play football and you can enjoy [watching] but if you play for small teams, it's very difficult."

Ninkovic had a two-year-deal on the table to remain with Evian who suffered relegation last season as a result. There were options to pursue more lucrative moves than what was offered in Australia and certainly in leagues more reputable and closer to home. But he was  so scarred from the defensive tactics that have marred the lower rungs within Ligue 1 in recent years that he looked abroad.

It was only upon the advice of a host of the Serbian players in Australia, such as Newcastle Jets' Enver Alivodic, Brisbane's Andrija Kaluderovic and Sydney's other Milos, Dimitrijevic, that he looked at the A-League as a serious destination where there became a sentimental ambition to sign for Sky Blues.

Ninkovic will become the first player to wear the number 10 jersey for Sydney FC since Alessandro Del Piero - his childhood hero. A fan of Red Star Belgrade first and Juventus second, he idolised the player whose stylistic traits he later adopted.

"He's my favourite player because when I was young I loved him and Juventus also," he said.

Already Sydney's coaching staff see similarities between the two playmakers and for Ninkovic, he, too, hopes the A-League will extend his career until his late 30s. Frustration at having his creativity and flair stifled because of France's new football elite nearly killed his ambition to continue playing, as did the lack of winners' medals to match those earned during nine years at Dynamo Kiev and one with his beloved Red Star.

Now entrusted with a free role at Sydney FC, where there are few shackles restraining his creativity, Ninkovic believes this could be a new lease of life for him as a player.

"If you play for a small team in France, it's very difficult to play. I think I can play five years more if I have motivation, here I have motivation ... and I think this will be great for me," he said.