Kerr’s praise for manager Hayes
STRIKER SAYS ‘SHE’S GOT IT ALL’ AFTER DOUBLE TRIUMPH
SAM Kerr believes Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes has “got it all” as the striker targets more silverware under the hugely successful Blues boss next season.
Hayes guided her side to the domestic Barclays Women’s Super League and FA Cup double this season, and has led Chelsea to 11 major trophies since taking charge in 2012.
The 45-year-old has yet to inspire Chelsea to European honours, reaching the Women’s Champions League final in 2021 only to be convincingly beaten 4-0 by Barcelona, but Kerr believes Hayes deserves all the plaudits she has received.
“Her trophies speak for themselves but she’s got it all,” Kerr told the PA news agency.
“She’s a good football coach but she’s also a good people manager.
You don’t just win titles by having good players on the team, you have to manage so many egos, so many personalities and she deals with it all pretty well.
“Her accolades speak for themselves.”
On an individual level, Kerr feels Hayes’ managerial style allows her to shine.
The prolific Australia striker won the Golden Boot award for the second successive year after scoring 20 goals in the league this season.
On the back of that stunning form, she was also named the Professional Footballers’ Association women’s player of the year and Barclays WSL player of the season.
The 28-year-old said: “Emma just allows me to be me on and off the pitch. I’m probably a little bit different to most players, I like to be left alone most of the time, and she just drip-feeds me the information she needs to get to me.
“She knows I will always work hard, I’ll always give 110 per cent for the team so she just gives me what she needs and doesn’t overload me but also challenges me at the same time.”
In terms of the elusive Champions League, Chelsea were dumped out of Europe before Christmas last season after failing to qualify from the group stage, but Kerr believes the club can do better next term.
“It’s just about consistency, having really good performances consistently,” she said.
“Last year we kind of dipped a little bit here and there, not only in the league but in the Champions League obviously and we kind of struggled to keep consistent performances early on in the season.
“I know it was difficult with the Olympics and everyone coming back differently, but towards the end of the season we really knuckled down on how to put a consistent performance together and grind out wins.
“It’s a different tournament the Champions League, so it’s finding a way to do that in the Champions League on the road, and it’s not easy but that’s it.”
Emma just allows me to be me. She doesn’t overload me but also challenges me at the same time. Sam Kerr