Matildas’ Mary Fowler: Manchester City minutes won’t affect Olympics preparation

Mary Fowler is adamant a lack of game time for Manchester City won’t affect her preparations for the Olympics, in which her form could determine whether Australia wins a maiden football medal.

Mary Fowler is adamant her lack of minutes at Manchester City won’t affect her preparation the Matildas’ Olympics campaign. Picture: Getty Images

Mary Fowler is adamant a lack of game time for Manchester City won’t affect her preparations for an Olympic campaign in which her performance could determine whether Australia breaks through for a maiden football medal.

Fowler, who will play a key role for the Matildas up front with Sam Kerr ruled out of the Games through injury, conceded it had been frustrating to ride the bench during City’s Women’s Super League campaign this season after her World Cup efforts.

But it will not erode her confidence ahead of the Games, with Fowler insistent she is not “nervous or negative in any way” about her ability to perform on the biggest stage when she rejoins her Matildas teammates.

Mary Fowler was recently ranked No. 1 in our Power 100, which ranked the most powerful women in Australian sport. Picture: Getty Images

“If I look back before the World Cup, I was in a similar position where I wasn’t getting heaps of time at club level but it just made me more motivated to thrive when I did go to the national team,” she said.

“I don’t really look at my situation as making me nervous or negative in any way, it is what it is and you do what you can with what you have.”

Fowler gained valuable time on the field earlier this week with a full match in City’s heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

“I was really happy that I could get on the field and get some minutes,” Fowler told Code Sports after scoring a goal in regular time as well as converting a penalty.

“I think on a personal level it was good for me to get on the field and try and help the team get a result.

Mary Fowler scored for Manchester City and converted a penalty, but prevent Tottenham from advancing in the Women’s FA Cup. Picture: Getty Images

“It is always frustrating when you sit on the bench for a bit and just want to be out on the field.

“(But it has) helped me to see things in a different way. It’s made me a better person because I have to take myself out of it (the situation) and think of how I can help the team.

“Even though it hasn’t been the best of seasons personally, the team has done well and I’m still very grateful to be in the position I’m in.”

Humble.

But also hungry, as is the rest of the Matildas squad after fourth-place finishes in its past two major campaigns at last year’s World Cup and the Tokyo Olympics.

Fowler says that can change in Paris.

“I think we’re very confident that we’ll leave Paris with something,” she said.

“Obviously there’s a lot of work to be done for everyone to be in shape and to put ourselves in a position where we can compete for a medal.

“But I think that the bitter disappointment from the last two tournaments finishing fourth I do think that’s (spurred a lot of movement) in the girls in the team.”

Mary Fowler with Australia athletics legend Cathy Freeman. Picture: Michael Klein

Fowler may now be one of the most recognisable sportswomen in Australia and a powerhouse on the international scene but she’s not too far removed from the kid from Cairns who grew up playing futsal and netball and dabbling in long-distance running.

It’s why she linked with Uber to find Australia’s most deserving reserve grade team in a bid to inspire the next generation of grassroots players and recognise the importance of local teams.

A young Fowler grew up playing for Cairns teams Saints, Leichhardt and TAS (Trinity Anglican School) but doubled down on football as her sporting passion when her family moved to Europe for three years.

But the woman who now counts blue chip sponsors like Uber, Adidas and L’Oreal as her backers has not forgotten her time as a blue collar grinder backed only by a family and community that loved sport as much as she did.

Mary Fowler grew up in Cairns, played community football for several clubs and represented Peninsula School Sport in her younger years.

“It is crazy seeing the sponsorships that I’m able to take now,” Fowler said.

“The deals I have now, I’m super grateful for them, I’m super grateful they have been able to put me in a position where I can help the next generation of players and use my platform and my voice to be able to help others that are coming through and maybe one day be in the same position that I am.”

It’s part of the reason Fowler has partnered with Uber and the Australian Sports Foundation to search for the most worthy reserve team to be awarded $50,000 for their relentless work to keep their sporting team alive as new research reveals one in four regional and remote Australian sporting clubs are experiencing declining participant registrations.

“Even if it is getting a pair of boots … I would just love to help give people that thing that (helps them continue) and not have to stop because of lack of funding or resources,” Fowler said.

“The campaign can really encourage Australians to play those community sports.”

Community sporting teams across Australia are invited to enter into the running and demonstrate why their team is deserving of the grant in a video submission. Entries are open today and close at midnight on 31 March 2024 when the winner will be selected by a panel including Fowler, the hosts of the Hello Sports podcast, and Uber.

Originally published as Matildas’ Mary Fowler: Manchester City minutes won’t affect Olympics preparation