The week long sessions in Sydney are the brainchild of former NSL player Nick Bosevski who runs local youth academy NB9. His organisation is in alliance with the Genova International School of Soccer which in turn is aligned with AS Roma.

Maurizio Turone, an AS Roma technical academy director for Australia and North America, and a team of coaches from the Genova International Soccer School ran the NB9 sponsored coaching camp at Belmore Sports Ground on Tuesday.

Many of the local players at Tuesday's week long session were from the premier youth league in the 13-16 year old category. Turone noted the technical level of players he saw was much lower than back in Italy but was encouraged by the youngsters' ability to learn quickly.

"They are very, very far behind still," he told au.fourfourtwo.com when asked about the standard of players at the session.

"In general, technically, physically, coordination, concentration... a lot of things."

Turone added that it was important for the AS Roma coaches to pass on their philosophy to local coaches in attendance although he admitted the club's approach globally was to scout talented young players.

It's not the first time a big European club has organised this kind of venture in Sydney with Barcelona a recent visitor and AC Milan already with their own academy in the harbour city.

As for advice for Australian football, Turone said more professional foreign coaches from Italy and Brazil should be invited.

One youngster who has been through this program is Valencia's speedy Aussie youngster Theo Markelis, who has just been named in the Young Socceroo squad and is currently in South America on tour.

Another with high hopes is 15-year-old Melbourne Phoenix attacking midfielder James Andrew Goulopoulos (pictured).

"The Italian style is brilliant and it's a different type of football to Australia. They are more developed in Italy," he said.

"It's exciting over there. It's hard because I don't speak Italian. My ultimate goal is to play at the highest level I can overseas and play for Australia."

Turone said the Dutch model in Australia was beneficial but added: "Whoever has to teach here there has to be a culture of the football also of a winning mentality. Holland's very good but they've never won anything."

However, he was impressed with the Socceroos at the last World Cup after Guus Hiddink's side almost defeated Italy who subsequently went on to win the Cup against France.

He added: "They played very good. Technically still behind but tactically they were a little behind but they handled it well."