Auckland set to host first Australasian FC Barcelona soccer camps

Auckland City FC has announced two football training camps to be run by European soccer club giants FC Barcelona.

The two five-day camps for youngsters aged six to 16 will be based at QBE Stadium in Albany in April, and will be the first ever FC Barcelona Escola camps to take place in either Australia or New Zealand.

The camps are to be run entirely by coaches sent directly from the FCB Escola academy in Barcelona.

Auckland City FC media manager Gordon Watson said the camps will be a wonderful opportunity for New Zealand coaches as well as up and coming players.

“To get to work with these guys is a huge privilege and a rare opportunity,” said Mr Watson.

“A lot of our players will take what they learn from that course, then when they go back into Auckland suburbs to deliver their community coaching, they’re going to have that experience with them.”

Football Development Officer at Auckland Football Federation, Carl Edwards, said any exposure New Zealand coaches can get from Barcelona “is always good,” but he believes the players are likely to benefit most.

“It's providing an opportunity for players to work with very good coaches from Barcelona,” said Edwards. “So I think it's definitely a good opportunity.”

Mr Watson said the two clubs have forged a working relationship over the years due to their participation in Fifa Club World Cups.

“Often our staff have been around the same table as them, so naturally you open up conversations about how the clubs can work together, and Barcelona have been very supportive of everything Auckland’s trying to do in this part of the world.”

Mr Watson said the camps are only possible due to shared philosophies.

“These are just building blocks at the moment. The only way that it can work is if there is an alignment of values between the two clubs.”

FC Barcelona have built a reputation around the world for their holistic approach to football. Along with teaching football skills, the Spanish club aim to instil values including respect, effort, ambition, teamwork, and humility in their players.

Mr Watson sees this approach as a key reason to grow Auckland City’s relationship with one of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world.

“A lot of those values that Barcelona have off the park are about creating a holistic learning environment, to not only make better footballers but better people, [and] are all shared by Auckland City. So in that sense, it’s a no-brainer for us.”

Mr Watson is hopeful there will be more opportunities to come from the union. “We are rapidly building a rapport with Barcelona, and who knows where that might lead.

“At the moment it’s just a step by step progression. If we do these things well… then hopefully we’ve got a bright future with Barcelona.”