Mary Fowler withdraws from Matildas squad citing mental fatigue
Star Matilda Mary Fowler has withdrawn from the latest national squad for upcoming matches against Brazil and Chinese Taipei, citing mental and physical fatigue.
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Matildas will be without another star when they take on Brazil next week with Mary Fowler withdrawing due to mental fatigue.
Fowler, 21, announced on Sunday evening that she was heading home to Australia for the international break but would not don the green and gold jersey.
The Manchester City forward cited mental and physical fatigue from her demanding playing schedule.
“Playing for the national team is something that I never take for granted,” Fowler said.
“It’s an incredible honour to represent Australia every time I put the jersey on.
“I have, however, through past experiences, come to realise that my mind and my body are also things that I should also never take for granted.
“Over the past few months, playing with an increasingly demanding schedule has been both exciting but at times also challenging.
“I love being able to play at the top level of my sport, but recognising that sometimes my mind and body also need to rest has been an invaluable lesson for me.
“Therefore, I’ve decided to take this time to prioritise recovery in order to refresh both mentally and physically, so that I can continue to put my best self forward for both club and country. I really appreciate everyone’s support and understanding, and I hope to see you all soon.”
Fowler is the second player to withdraw from the camp for mental health reasons with Cortnee Vine revealing last week she would also not be playing in order to take some time to improve her headspace.
The Matildas will also be without midfielders Katrina Gorry and Clare Wheeler – both unavailable due to injuries sustained while playing for their clubs two week ago.
It means interim coach Tom Sermanni will have to use some new or old faces in the midfield with Emily Gielnik, Chloe Logarzo, Tameka Yallop and Alex Chidiac all in the squad.
No extra players will be added to the extended squad – which now sits at 33 players – not the original 36.
It is yet to be determined if Isabel Gomez will be available after leaving the field injured during the Mariner’s clash with Melbourne Victory at the weekend.
Australia’s first of their four matches is on Thursday, November 28 against Brazil at Suncorp Stadium.
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Originally published as Mary Fowler withdraws from Matildas squad citing mental fatigue
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