Mary Fowler hits back at Matildas critics after backlash around Olympic Games flop in Paris
The Aussie women's football side was bundled out of the group stages of the Olympics.
Mary Fowler has hit back at the criticism around the Matildas' disastrous Olympic Games campaign after insisting the team was well prepared and the players were not "pampered" in Paris. The Aussie women's football team - semi-finalists at their home World Cup just last year - were bundled out of the group stages of the Olympics after two losses and one crazy 6-5 victory over Zambia.
The backlash that ensued was swift and significant, with coach Tony Gustavsson departing his role amid claims he'd lost the dressing room. Socceroos legend Robbie Slater also blasted Football Australia (FA) for their "pampering" treatment of the Aussie women's team, and he was among a number voices that were highly critical of the Matildas' preparations going into the tournament.
In fact, Gustavsson admitted after the Aussies were thrashed 3-0 by Germany in their opening group game that his side wasn't ready for the start of the tournament. But Fowler has disputed such suggestions and claims the Matildas' preparation was as good as could be expected. But she said the tournament in France was much different to playing in a World Cup in front of your own fans, and the massive advantage that gives the team.
Fowler is currently in Perth with her club side Manchester City, who will be competing alongside the likes of West Ham, Leicester City and Paris Saint-Germain in the International Football Cup. The 21-year-old's side face Leicester on Wednesday night, but many of the questions directed at her in Tuesday's press conference were around the Matildas' Olympic Games flop and the backlash against the national side.
Mary Fowler responds to Olympics backlash around Matildas
“I think we definitely worked as hard as we could to prepare for the tournament,” Fowler said. “I think sometimes football just doesn’t go your way. Being at home and having that home advantage, it’s very different playing a home World Cup (compared) to being overseas.
“Sometimes things don’t go your way and we definitely reflect on that as a team and I’m sure the girls have done that individually as well.” FA boss James Johnson echoed Fowler's views after the team arrived back home from the Olympics in Paris, having already parted ways with Gustavsson.
"Where it comes to some of the language around pampering it's actually silly, they are not being pampered," he said at the time. "We are investing in this program the way we should because the players deserve to be treated like professionals and they are."
Fowler admitted the reasons behind the Matildas' disappointing Olympic Games campaign were both technical and psychological but says it was an important learning experience for the side. “It was probably a bit of both,” she said. “From a personal level, I definitely reflected on how I was mentally. It was a different kind of pressure than I’ve dealt with before. (But) it’s kind of nice to have those experiences and know that next time when you get into that same situation, you will be able to deal with it better.”
Mary Fowler unsure on Matildas coach as search continues
The task for FA now is to find a suitable coaching successor to Gustavsson and someone who can take the side to another level after their fourth-placed finish at the World Cup. FA has vowed to leave no stone unturned in its extensive search for the next Matildas coach, and getting the most out of Fowler will be crucial to their role - not that the superstar has any word on who Gustavsson's successor will be.
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“I actually don’t know,” she said. “I haven’t really paid much thought to it. “I’m very focused on just what I can control and what I do as a player. I feel we all really want to win something with the national team. Having another opportunity to do that, I think a lot of us will work for the next year and a bit to try and get it done.”
The Matildas' next chance to claim major silverware will come when Australia hosts the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, which will also serve as the final stage in qualifying for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. But for Fowler and her teammates, attention has turned to club football and getting ready for the season ahead.
Wednesday night's game between Fowler's Manchester City and Leicester will be played at Perth's at HBF Park, followed by West Ham against French giants PSG on Thursday night. The same ground will host Sunday's double header featuring all four sides, with the two losing sides squaring off before the winners play each other in the final.
