To see the training session...

Speaking after last night's fascinating seminar in Sydney by Rueben Della Morte, Barcelona's technical director for junior academies across the Middle East, the Sydney FC coach paid tribute to the Spanish and European champions' ability to plan and implement a technical and successful youth program.

"It was great. I think it's a very important thing to bring to Australia a new culture," he told au.fourfourtwo.com. "It's very important for the development of our young kids. It's a good step  for the future of Australian football."

The trip also rekindled fond memories for Lavicka as a player and a coach.

"I played against Barcelona in UEFA Champions League about 1990 for Sparta Prague," he said. "I think we drew 1-1 with them in Czech Republic but we lost in Spain.

"And as a coach assistant we played over there [in Spain] again in the Champions League. It was exciting and a good lesson for me as a coach. Amazing, 90,000 in the stadium and a very good quality team."

Della Morte spoke to around 100 young players, coaches and parents about the multi-layered and systematic youth program in place at the Catalan giants.

The English-speaking Spaniard described the junior coaches at Barca as teachers while young players were students. It's this thoughtful philosophy that underpins much of the club's work.

Barcelona's "Plan Marcet" (which features "Scuola" and "Academy" teams populated by players from around the world) identified formational play within Football 7 (seven-a-side) and Football 11 (11-a-side).

Both employ similar tactical set-ups and therefore provide a natural progression for young players to understand their roles in a Barcelona team.

This progression also included employing skills worked on during the week in regular training games and "emotional" support for players after games. 

Della Morte said in a one-hour presentation: "Intensity is not all about being fast.

"We want players to think quickly. And it's no good having a team of Messis," he said in reference to Barca star Lionel Messi, himself one of many current and former players who've been schooled  in the club's development system.

"You look at [Carlos] Puyol and he doesn't have the skill of Messi, but he is a leader. Some can think quicker than others, others have more skill, or can read a game. You need a team with players who have different qualities."

He added: "We take our teams to play in other countries. We will be going to South America too.

"And this is good because sometimes you can be beaten - and that's good for our players' development, to learn from, say, a 3-0 loss."

Despite the first team's astounding success at Barca - particularly in the last 12 months when they have scooped every available honour including the UEFA Champions League - Della Morte said the Spanish champions were forever reviewing their methodology in order to improve.

"Anything is possible," added Lavicka. "If the coaches here are learning the culture from a level like Barcelona, Australian coaches are able to help young kids with that type of system.

"Young kids will grow up to play at a higher level. My philosophy is very similar [to Barcelona]. You do everything with the ball, exercises with fitness with the ball. I think it's the right way."

The course was provided for free and with the help of Sydney FC and former Socceroo Gerry Gomez.

Gomez, 49, currently runs a Barcelona-backed training academy in Sydney called Sydney Soccer Football Academy.

The academy endorses and uses Barcelona's youth training program Plan Marcet and the organisation is a football talent recruitment program for the reigning European champions.

To see the training session...