- Mary Fowler has broken her silence on the Paris Olympics
- The Matildas were knocked out of the group stage
- Fowler offered a theory for the disastrous campaign
Mary Fowler has exposed the Matildas’ disastrous Olympic Games in Paris after the Australian women were knocked out in the group stage.
Tony Gustavsson’s team travelled to France full of confidence after their incredible fourth place finish at last year’s World Cup, which will give them hope of a medal in the women’s football tournament.
The Matildas underperformed in their three group games, with defeats to the United States and Germany seeing them eliminated from the competition early on.
Gustavsson lost his job and the team was heavily criticized by the public and the media, with some claiming that the team had become too ‘spoiled’ and had lost its edge.
James Johnson, the chairman of Football Australia, strongly denied the suggestion. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Fowler outlined where she believes things went wrong for the team.
“I think we’ve definitely worked as hard as we can to prepare for the tournament,” Fowler said. “I think sometimes football just doesn’t go your way.
‘Playing at home and having home advantage is very different to playing abroad at a World Cup.
“Sometimes things don’t go your way and we certainly reflect on that as a team. I’m sure the girls did that individually as well.”
Mary Fowler has lifted the lid on the Matildas’ disastrous Olympic campaign
The 21-year-old could not save the Matildas from a humiliating exit in France
Football Australia is currently searching for a new head coach. Johnson indicated that the players will be consulted on their selection, but Fowler indicated that she has not heard any developments on that front.
“I don’t really know,” she said. “I haven’t really thought about it yet.
‘I’m very focused on what I can control and what I do as a player.
‘I think we all really want to win something with the national team.
“Now that we have the opportunity to do that, I think many of us will be working for quite some time over the next year to make it happen.”
Fowler is with the Manchester City women’s team in Perth after spending time in Sydney with NRL star friend Nathan Cleary following the Paris Olympics.
Fowler was photographed at Sydney airport last week ahead of her match against her City team-mates, but there was no sign of injured boyfriend Cleary.
While on holiday in Australia, she visited a number of markets in the Blue Mountains, just west of Sydney, with Cleary. He had recently suffered a shoulder injury, which initially led to speculation that his season was over.
However, he will not require surgery and is expected to be back on the field for the final, where Penrith will be bidding to win four consecutive titles.
The couple enjoyed breakfast at a local cafe before exploring the Rotary Markets in Glenbrook, where Nathan sampled a scented candle as they looked relaxed and happy.
She explained that playing abroad had an impact on the team
Both Fowler and Cleary are familiar with the challenges of injuries and the road to recovery.
Fowler has struggled with recurring back and foot problems in her young career, while Cleary has a longer history of injuries.
Fortunately, his most recent setback involves a shoulder that is not the same one he injured in 2021.
Mary and Nathan started dating late last year. Daily Mail Australia was the first to report on their relationship.