"Most of their best players have played in Europe, guys like [Steve] Corica, they know how to adapt to a short passing game," said former Melbourne Knight, Lubo Lapsansky.

"And Brosquey [Alex Brosque], these guys want to play soccer, they want the ball to their feet. They'll appreciate bringing a coach like him in.

"He'll change things around. You need to spice things up, bring a different flavour."

Lapsansky grew up in the old Czechoslovakia where he learned his football trade. In 1993, the mobile, skilful midfielder arrived in Australia from FC Kosice as a promising 21-year-old.

His talent was soon spotted and he joined a slick Melbourne Knights outfit in the old NSL. Providing service for a marauding young Mark Viduka were Lapsansky, Joe Biskic, Danny Tiatto and others.

It may've been the much maligned NSL, but the Knights were playing a technical brand of football and winning championships. Lapsansky was in the thick of it, making 72 appearances for the Somers Street outfit before joining new cross-town rivals Carlton in 1997.

Again, his flair and touch in midfield caught the eye over four seasons and almost 100 games before rejoining the Knights twice either side of a stint with Parramatta Power.

If Lapsansky, now 37, is any gauge on how Sydney FC will set up under their new Czech direction, it should be an exciting new era in the history of the sky blues.

"Czech football was always about playing short balls, a lot of movement off the ball, trying to create the space for the players for the ball to be played into," Lapsansky added.

"It's a fairly tactical game. Players are required in any position, and they'd need to be technically smart in advance. You drag the players out, and open up the space behind and you start attacking.

"But it's always the training that you do week in week out where you learn your patterns, you don't panic, you keep the ball till things open up.

"That's pretty much what Czech football is all about."

The debate about the type of football (though not the entertainment quality), has been fanned by national coach Pim Verbeek who has stated publicly that the league is good to watch, but tactically and technically below most European leagues.

Lapsansky, now retired and coaching juniors in Melbourne, looks forward to seeing Sydney FC lead the way with their own European-brand of A-League football under Lavicka.

"He'll have a look at what he's got and Sydney FC had a pretty good squad last year," he said. "I don't think they'll have any issues understanding what he wants from them.

"It's about giving him enough time to explain what he's after and him understanding the Australian football mentality. It's more tactical and technical where he's come from."

Lapsansky added that he recalls seeing Lavicka as a player back in his homeland: "He was a decent player, he was very close to making the old Czech national team."