{"id":290483,"date":"2025-11-18T06:35:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T06:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/290483\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T06:35:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T06:35:07","slug":"matildas-boss-hails-mary-fowlers-mental-health-courage-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/290483\/","title":{"rendered":"Matildas boss hails Mary Fowler’s mental health courage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mary Fowler<\/a> should be applauded for her “courageous” willingness to open up about her mental health, says Matildas<\/a> coach Joe Montemurro.<\/p>\n

Playmaker Fowler, 22, is set for a January return from her ACL tear suffered in April.<\/p>\n

Fowler recently released her book “Bloom,” where she detailed struggling with her mental health, self-harming and experiencing suicidal thoughts during her time at French club Montpellier<\/a> as a teenager.<\/p>\n

“We need to applaud the fact that she’s been able to face those issues … it’s so courageous to talk about these things and to come up with it,” Montemurro said on Monday.<\/p>\n

“And the fact that she’s been able to deal with these issues, I think, is all credit to her, it’s amazing.<\/p>\n

“I suppose it’s a little bit of a sign of the pressures that professional athletes and professional sports people are under these days, that there are challenges.<\/p>\n

“The more we talk about it, the more it’s out in the open, the more that we’re honest about it, I think is amazing.<\/p>\n

“This is a perfect example of someone that’s been really courageous and been able to come out with her issues, deal with it and know that there are people behind her, backing her and want to do what’s best for her.”<\/p>\n

Montemurro stressed the importance of “constant contact” with his players, who he has visited at their clubs.<\/p>\n

“The biggest thing that we can do as [Football Australia] and the people supporting these players is to just be there if they need, to talk to them, if they need something … we’re there to help them,” he said.<\/p>\n

“That’s the most important message that we’ve been trying to send as [Football Australia] and as the Matildas coach, to make sure that they have the support that they need not just when they’re here in camp, but also off camp.”<\/p>\n

Mary Fowler is on the brink of returning to the pitch after suffering a knee injury in April.\u00a0Martin Rickett\/PA Images<\/p>\n

Fowler joined the Matildas last camp in a training capacity but will remain with Manchester City for the upcoming window in Australia as she nears her return.<\/p>\n

“We’ve said it all along — she actually could have probably come back after seven months and she’s doing really, really well,” Montemurro said.<\/p>\n

“It’s amazing. Obviously being in the City environment and us monitoring it and her coming into camp last time was perfect.<\/p>\n

“But in all credit to her and to City and to the medical staff, we’ve decided to just hold on a little bit more and just give it that little bit more time.<\/p>\n

“Because you’re going into the Christmas break … and then to start up again, is probably the logical thing to do — to hold her off until after Christmas and then I’m sure she’ll be right for the Asian Cup (in March).<\/p>\n

“Obviously the calendar in Europe is quite full, so there are opportunities to play, and let’s see how strategic they are in managing her minutes.<\/p>\n

“But it looks like she will get a fairly good runway into the Asian Cup.”<\/p>\n

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