Tom Sermanni, at his 6th Women's World Cup, a valuable coaching resource for Canada

They say it's a small world. And Tom Sermanni has coached in most of it.

The Scottish-born, Australian-based coach is working his sixth FIFA Women's World Cup, and his second as a member of the Canadian coaching staff. Sermanni, who also had a 16-month stint in charge of the U.S. women in 2013-14, served as Australia's head coach at the soccer showcase in 1995, 2007 and 2011 and led New Zealand at the 2019 tournament.

With Canada, he served as an assistant to John Herdman at the 2015 World Cup and is a member of Bev Priestman's staff at the current competition in Australia and New Zealand.

But labelling Sermanni an assistant coach really doesn't do him justice. The affable 69-year-old is a valuable resource, a walking encyclopedia of soccer.

"One of the greatest characters of football," said former Australia captain Julie Murray.

The seventh-ranked Canadian women trained in Melbourne on Monday morning before taking a four-hour flight west to Perth where they take on No. 22 Ireland in Group B play Wednesday. Olympic champion Canada is coming off a scoreless draw with No. 40 Nigeria while the Irish, in their World Cup debut, lost 1-0 to No. 10 Australia.

Sermanni's ties in the sport are remarkable.

As an example, Sermanni gave current Australian captain Sam Kerr her senior debut at 15 in February 2009 in a game against Italy in Canberra. Fast forward 14 years and Kerr is the face of football in Australia. The Chelsea star has 63 goals in 120 games for Australia and is at her fourth World Cup, albeit currently nursing a calf injury.

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Wearing Italian colours that same game Kerr debuted for Australia was attacking midfielder/striker Pamela Conti.