“Our position in Asia in my view is more fragile than it should be," Nikou said.
"But I think it's a relationship most football people would say we want to preserve.”
Most football people would. It may not always be easy or straightforward but Australia has got plenty out of being part of the AFC since joining in 2006.
Benefits include the Champions League, the Asian Cup, all the different youth competitions as well as the commercial, playing and coaching opportunities and much more besides.
Leaving Oceania behind was always in Australia’s best interests but from the start there were some in Asia who were less than pleased.
"We have good friends and support to the East [of Asia]. We're not that well-liked to the West,” Nikou said.
Such words could have been uttered at pretty much any point since 2006. The comments by Sheikh Talah al Fahd al Sabah, the head of Kuwait's Olympic Committee, back in 2006 have gone down in football folklore.
"We are against Australia joining the Asian continent, even in soccer," Sheikh Talal said.
"This is the biggest mistake made against Asian soccer. This will kill the ambitions of Asian soccer. It is natural to be able to change the decision. There are general assemblies that can ask them to leave the way they were brought in. I hope this happens before the (2010) World Cup qualifications."
It didn’t of course but there are worries is still could. Showing the guest the door may be seen as a positive in some parts but still is not exactly top of anyone’s priorities.
These are, however, highly uncertain times in Asian football politics with a lot of general frustrations and resentments criss-crossing the continent and bubbling under the surface.
Australia will have to choose its course very carefully in the short-term, starting with a West-Asian dominated AFC Presidential election in April between candidates from Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
The western domination may actually help in this case. East Asia is frustrated at being kept out of the presidential field and with western leaders at least pretending to be interested in fostering a sense of unity and looking to build bridges with the east, a proposal to kick Australia out, a divisive and controversial move, would not be the best way to start.
For Australia, the west was never going to be the best supporter of its Asian membership. It feels very distant as do any potential benefits from having the Australia around.
In South Korea and Japan for example, Australia is seen, to some extent, as helping lift the standards in the region which will, in turn, help them compete on the world stage.
Whatever else one thinks of the Aussies, they make Asia stronger.
There are federations however that do not see the picture in such a big way (though it is debatable if Seoul and Tokyo would be so progressive if they had missed out on World Cups while Australia qualified).
As Nikou pointed out, when World Cup expansion gives Asia eight instead of four automatic seats at the top table in either 2022 or 2026, then the resentment at missing out - (the long sequence of West Asian Arabian representation at every World Cup since 1982 was broken in 2010 when Australia joined qualification for the first time) - may reduce.
Australia could have done more though and has too often sat on the sidelines at the AFC.
Hafaz Al-Medlej, a Saudi member of the AFC Executive Committee, once told me that he felt Australia should have been more forthcoming in sharing its tournament hosting know-how and plenty more besides.
I once saw leading FFA officials share a table with West Asian counterparts at an AFC Congress in Bahrain and say little more than how tired they were, how far they had travelled and what time it was in Australia.
Regardless of the west, Australia could still become more involved with the rest of Asia and make itself a part of the continental scene in a visible and proactive way.
There is plenty, for example, that could be done to help raise standards in South Asia. South Korea and especially Japan have been busy in Southeast Asia sending coaches while signing MOUs, broadcasting deals and players.
This may not entirely be altruistic but there is a recognition that a rising tide lift all boats. Too much of the talk from down under has been about what Southeast Asia can do for Australia rather than the other way around.
In truth, parts of West Asia may never develop feelings of warmth for the continent’s newest member but building bigger and better bridges elsewhere would do no harm.
Australia can do more as a leading sports nation to help Asian football and, in the long run, help itself.
