Tanya Oxtoby has watched the development of Sam Kerr for 15 years leading up to her World Cup moment

Tanya Oxtoby knew Sam Kerr as a 15-year-old teammate and now coaches her day-to-day at Chelsea. She discusses the megastar striker and her impact on the Matildas’ World Cup chances with ADAM PEACOCK.

From Perth to Chelsea, Tanya Oxtoby knows Sam Kerr’s game better than anyone.

The assumption is Sam Kerr is about to rip this Women’s World Cup apart.

It’s what she does. 63 goals in 120 for Australia. 90 goals in 116 for Chelsea.

More Golden Boots than Willy Wonka printed golden tickets.

It’s not automatic. Far from it.

Tanya Oxtoby would know.

Oxtoby was a Perth Glory player when Kerr made her debut as a 15-year-old in 2008.

Kerr was still a Glory player when Oxtoby made her first steps into coaching. And now, the pair are together at Chelsea.

Kerr the gun goalscorer, Oxtoby a trusted assistant to manager Emma Hayes at Chelsea, who have won the last four English Women’s Super League titles.

Oxtoby has been there for the last two, full of great days.

And the odd off-day, but even then, the Chelsea coaching staff know their happiness can come flooding back in a flash thanks to Kerr.

Sam Kerr was a teammate of Tanya Oxtoby in her first season at Perth Glory. Picture: Robert Prezioso/Getty Images

“It’s probably only been two or three occasions where we’ve gone ‘oh, where will we get a goal from?’” Oxtoby says.

“And it’s always Sam who pops up! You put the ball in the right area and you know she’s going to do something special with it. Fingers crossed that continues over the next month!”

Teams will try to find a way to stop Kerr, though Oxtoby contends supply is where they should be targeting.

It’s what Chelsea do.

If Kerr is in a rare dry-spell, chances are, it’s down to what Kerr is being provided with.

“A lot of the analysis is around the areas she’s occupying, and if we are delivering into those areas.”

“We all know she’s a talent, put it in the right spot and she’s gonna do her thing … and support her best you can with that.”

“In terms of her process, you know she’s doing everything she can do.”

Kerr will be 30 in September, and shows no signs of slowing.

Since her 21st birthday, her club goalscoring record is a jaw-dropping 206 goals in 248 games.

Tanya Oxtoby (left) and the Chelsea coaching staff celebrate the success that Kerr is so important to. Picture: Visionhaus/Getty Images

Oxtoby, whose first interaction with Kerr was as a teammate of a then 15-year-old Kerr at Perth Glory in 2008, contends the world’s best striker is getting better.

“She’s always had raw talent, always,” Oxtoby says.

“Where Sam’s really improved is her consistency. Her work off the ball is where she’s really improved, created space for other people.

“I watched the France game, she’s coming deep, leaving space for Caitlin (Foord), things like that. She knows she draws defenders in, she’s really smart with that now.

“That natural ability has always been there, she’s honed it and yeah, she’s deadly.”

As for the outside noise, about peak to the point of distortion as an entire nation looks to Kerr to sprinkle her magic, Oxtoby knows the human beyond the hype.

Some of it seeps in.

“She’s human. You saw in the (Disney) documentary, she’s very humble and quite a shy person,” Oxtoby says.

“She loves the big stage, the big moment, she backs herself but like everybody she’s like wow, what’s going on.”

Kerr and Oxtoby’s professional careers have reunited at Chelsea. Picture: Visionhaus/Getty Images

But this is a month that is worth absorbing for Kerr, Oxtoby and anyone else who has devoted their lives to women’s football.

Oxtoby grew up in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, before a playing career both at home, and abroad in England, where she developed her coaching career to the point of a seat at the top table.

She is in Australia as one of Optus Sport’s analysts in a wall-to-wall coverage of all 64 games, but beyond Kerr figuring in goalscoring moments, the answer to one question ahead of the World Cup escapes Oxtoby.

Any idea who wins?

“None! And that’s the beauty of where we’re at,” Oxtoby says.

“Previously it’s been three or four nations that will compete, but I think the top ten at the minute are so evenly matched, it’s about momentum and players staying fit for teams to be at the pointy end.”

With her club hat on, Oxtoby hopes all of the 18 Chelsea players at the World Cup experience some form of joy. One in particular.

“I know how much work they’ve put in. I want them to be successful, just not against Australia!” Oxtoby laughs.

“It’s going to be one of the best World Cups ever, they’ll lift the level, but when they play the Aussies if they could tone it down that would be good.”

Originally published as Tanya Oxtoby has watched the development of Sam Kerr for 15 years leading up to her World Cup moment