‘I know she’ll score’: Matildas coach Joe Montemurro bullish on Sam Kerr as international return looms

Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has been on the receiving end of Sam Kerr’s ruthless best too many times to have any doubt the superstar striker can score on her international return.

Kerr is set to make her hotly-anticipated and long-awaited Matildas return against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday (local time) before facing European champions England in Derby four days later.

The 32-year-old last played for Australia in November 2023, having endured a horror 20-month rehabilitation from an ACL tear suffered at a Chelsea training camp in January 2024.

She scored her 100th Chelsea goal on her club return last month but has only been used as a substitute as she builds form and fitness, with some top strikers playing ahead of her.

Former Arsenal and Juventus coach Montemurro will work with Kerr in a playing capacity for the first time and while stressing the importance of not relying on the striker, he is adamant she can make her mark early.

“We all talk about strikers and the importance of them,” Montemurro told AAP.

“We know Sam’s one of the best in the world - I’ve borne the brunt of it many, many times at Arsenal, where she killed me that many times.

“So I’m looking forward to finally being her being on our side, which is really good fun.

“But look, she’s obviously impactful and really, really important. But look, the way we want to play, putting reliance just on a striker and even in modern football, putting reliance on just a striker to score you all those goals is dangerous.

“We need to create many goal scorers. Teams win and lose tournaments and leagues by massive contribution of midfielders scoring goals and massive contribution of set pieces, of defenders scoring goals.

“So I just want Sam to come back, love her football, and it’ll take shape according to the way things will go. Because I know she’ll A) score and B) contribute, which is even more important.”

Montemurro will also get a look at how he can use all of Kerr, Caitlin Foord, Holly McNamara and Michelle Heyman as his central striker options ahead of the Asian Cup.

He will address the captaincy with Kerr and stand-in skipper Steph Catley closer to the games, with players arriving in camp early this week.

The games against Wales, who qualified for the Euros, and Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses serve as crucial litmus tests ahead of March’s Asian Cup.

“I wanted some really solid teams, obviously, because we want to really solidify, to start to put the little puzzles in place now, in terms of the way we want to play,” Montemurro said.

“There is still a little piece of of selection to look at. I still want to look at a couple more players and give them the opportunity.

“June-July was good because it gave me a bit of a better understanding of the landscape itself. But both games are big opportunities.

“Wales are a very well-organised team and obviously we know the strength of the Lionesses. So it’s exciting.”