The  South American possesses a fantastic workrate, terrific skills, grim determination and the ability to inspire his team with goals of the kind he produced out of nothing that put them in front against Sydney FC on Friday night. It was a stunning long-range strike that, for much of the game, threatened to make City the first team to defeat Graham Arnold's side this season.

Bobo's late penalty - which City coach John Van 't Schip believed was a square-up decision -  gave the Sky Blues a draw and the big Brazilian forward himself was the subject of much debate over his contribution to a spiky, feisty clash between the two teams who had contested the FFA Cup final just nine days earlier.

But the row over the legitimacy or otherwise of the spot kick - awarded when Michael Jakobsen was judged to have tugged Bobo's shirt, giving him the chance to tumble to the ground  was nothing compared to the derision and criticism levelled at Brandan for his play-acting earlier in the second half following a clash with Sydney defender Rhyan Grant.

Just as Brandan's skill ensures he has plenty to offer his team on the pitch, his theatrics and preference for rolling around  and feigning serious injury when challenged ensures he attracts volumes of criticism.

In the eyes of mainstream Australia, which is not well-versed in the cynical ways of the world game, he invites widespread criticism of the game itself. His tendency to dive, fall over when touched, often clutching his face, gives those who want to bash the game a very big stick with which to do so.

In some parts of the soccer world  - particularly in Latin America, where Brandan and two of his teammates (Argentine midfielder Nicolas Colazo and Uruguayan striker Bruno Fornaroli) hail from - simulation, diving and trying to con the referee is not viewed in quite the same way as it is in  Australia.

There is a desperation to Brandan and the way he plays the game that is admirable. He chases down lost causes, he has boundless energy,  and his aggression and work rate makes him a perfect part of a front three adopting the high-pressing tactic that Van't Schip is employing this season. He wants to win so badly you can see the determination etched on every line of his face.

But sometimes he is comical. His series of stepovers leading up to the incident with Grant was akin to something a dancer might have produced, or, less elegantly, reminiscent of the way the baby Bambi spreadeagled his legs as he tried to stay upright on the ice in the Disney cartoon classic.

He went down in the challenge and seemed to be OK. Then, as Grant ran past him, he brushed the back of his head, reminiscent of the way in decades past a policeman might have administered a "clip round the earhole" to an errant schoolboy.

In today's overheated days, when everything is subjected to intense scrutiny,   Grant should not have done so. He must have known that the cameras were on him, that Brandan would overreact, and the Argentine duly did so, suddenly sitting up and then throwing himself to the ground clutching his face, writhing in agony.

When the replay was shown on the ANZ Stadium big screens there were howls of derision from fans, and condemnation from TV commentators.

In some countries players behave this way and, if not condoned, its certainly not condemned. Brandan grew up in that culture and no doubt won his teams numerous free kicks or goal chances by  exploiting  that skill.

But he needs to realise that such behaviour leaves a sour taste in the mouth here.

And Brandan's theatrics looked far worse because his actions came less than a week after Brisbane's Socceroo veteran Jade North pulled a very similar stunt against City after clashing with Fornaroli in what Van 't Schip subsequently described as an attempt to get his captain dismissed.

He was critical of North then, but in the aftermath of this game tried to defend Brandan, pointing out that Australians needed to realise that this was the world game, and if players with different cultures played the game here, then they would bring their backgrounds with them.

It was a hard sell, but he was on slightly firmer ground when he said that whatever the merits or otherwise of Brandan's histrionics, he had been sinned against in the sense that he had been touched on the head by Grant and should not have been.

"It's a world game. You cannot change the game that is played all over the world. If you go to the World Cup and you look at Spain, Italy, South America and everywhere that is part of the game and that is why refs have to be consistent if they are to make good judgments," said Van 't Schip

"I understand it is not always easy. But over-reacting sometimes does not mean there was no foul.

"Again, this is part of football and there is no reason it has to be done differently because we are here in Australia. Referees have to step up and be more consistent."

"Emotion plays a big part in football and I'm not saying we should be doing this kind of things, particularly when there is nothing happening.

"Luis Suarez [Barcelona's Uruguayan star] is a very good example and he is one of the best players in the world. He plays with passion and emotion and these things happen."

Football people will understand exactly what Van 't Schip means and, while not necessarily agreeing with him, will get the context of Brandan's actions.

However, the majority of Australians are not "football people" in the purist sense that the Dutchman, a decorated player, is, and they are likely to be unconvinced.

In sporting culture wars, as in every other, there are plenty of grey areas and rarely any agreement.