Matildas teammate goes public with startling truth about Mary Fowler's decision to step away
Fowler and Cortnee Vine have both opted to withdraw from the Matildas' upcoming friendlies.
In light of Mary Fowler's decision to take a break in order to prioritise her physical and mental health, Matildas star Caitlin Foord has highlighted the double-edged sword of the situation, declaring the increased spotlight and scrutiny is “all we’ve ever wanted”. Fowler joined Cortnee Vine in stepping away from the Matildas team this week, with both set to skip upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Taiwan.
Both cited the increased playing loads - as well as the extra spotlight - that have come as a result of their run to the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup last year. Before the World Cup in Australia, Fowler and Vine were relatively unknown, but shot to superstardom overnight.
Vine famously scored the winning penalty against France in the quarter-final, while Fowler plays club football for English powerhouse Manchester city and has the extra spotlight of being in a high-profile relationship with NRL star Nathan Cleary. And while Matildas star Foord supports her teammates' decision to put their health first, she also highlighted how women's footballers have been crying out for years for more media attention and coverage.
Extra spotlight on Matildas a double-edged sword
While the Matildas have always been popular, they exploded in 2023 and became household names around Australia. It means organisers and broadcasters are desperate for more games, and the Matildas will play four in just 10 days starting on Thursday night.
“That’s the way the game is going. There’s a lot more games, there’s a lot more demands on us to play,” Foord said in Brisbane ahead of Thursday’s opening friendly against Brazil. “I mean, this is where every female footballer has wanted the game to go.
"The scheduling – that’s obviously up to the leagues and the federations to discuss on how that should be, but for us to play and play games is all we’ve ever wanted. We have that support. We have the networks you need, if it’s mental, physical support you need, we have options for all of that. As it should be, everyone has that option to get the support that they need.”
Foord said “giving everything” is a non-negotiable for anyone who pulls on a Matildas jersey. “It doesn’t take long to adapt back into the Matildas environment and the type of style we want to play,” she said. “When you put on the green and gold, it’s not so much about tactics, it’s about playing for your country and giving everything.
“It’s a great opportunity when we come back here in Australia to play, especially back in Brissy, we’ve had some great memories here. I’m excited to be back here and to go out there at Suncorp and play again.”
Drawbacks from increased popularity of women's sporting stars
Earlier this week, fellow Matildas player Tamika Yallop also highlighted how Fowler's need to take a break shows how far the women's game has come. But it might also be a wake-up call for organisers and fans, with the likes of cricketer Meg Lanning, tennis star Ash Barty and swimmer Ariarne Titmus all feeling the need to take a step back from the spotlight at various stages throughout their careers.
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Sport psychologist Michael Inglis, who works with Professional Footballers Australia, said female athletes are reporting mental health struggles at increasing rates. “This has been something that’s been building for a while in multiple sports, in both men’s and women’s sports as well, but it’s the first time we’ve seen it in the women’s professional football arena,” he told The Guardian this week.
“There’s been significant and dramatic change, but what this does from a psychological viewpoint is it changes their athlete identity. Before, what they had is a very shared identity in terms of who they were, where they had backup, if you like. We’re now in professional sport, where everything is so focused on their sport and their identity can become very, very narrow, and there can be mental health consequences as a result of that.”
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