Mary Fowler has withdrawn from the Matildas with Football Australia saying the star player needs to take time away to mentally recover.
The Manchester City forward will not be with her Aussie teammates in upcoming fixtures against Brazil and Chinese Tapei and she will instead spend time with family in Australia as she recovers from mental and physical fatigue.
Football Australia announced changes to the Matildas squad for the end-of-year internationals on Thursday, but news about Fowler’s withdrawal only emerged on Sunday night.
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The 21-year-old said in the Football Australia media release she will be heading home to Australia, but won’t be in action for the four match-stretch, which begins with a blockbuster match against Brazil on Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
“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 to prioritise her own health.
Katrina Gorry and Clare Wheeler were last week medically withdrawn.
Gorry sustained a shoulder injury in West Ham’s Women’s Super League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion WFC.
Wheeler was also made unavailable due to a lower leg injury she suffered in action for Everton.
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