Luke speaks with Mike Conway, a leadership and mindset expert who was impressed by the Matildas’ awe-inspiring performance, but highlights a crucial caution for them ahead of the semi-finals.

Mr Conway, who helped prepare the Socceroos for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, emphasises the need for the Matildas to avoid ‘technoference’ – the distraction posed by social media noise that could disrupt their focus on the crucial game.

He singles this out as something the players really should be aiming to avoid – as the country goes wild over their Saturday night win.

“After the last Women’s World Cup, there was much learning and humility that had to emerge from past losses. The staff and players have to reset after dealing with judgment and perceptions that they’re not good enough,” said Conway.

“They’ve put in the preparation and the practice and they have a clear goal. They want to win – and they have a good chance.”

“In Qatar we spent a lot of time together, looking out for one another, there was a great vibe and what helped with that was we didn’t read into the hype and social media,” he said.

“The Matildas have an extraordinary team identity, they’ve got quality and they’ve got very good players.”

“This is such an exciting time for women’s sport, and an exciting time for Australia.”

*Mike Conway is Founder and CEO of XVenture and will be a keynote speaker at #CapTech2023, one of Australia’s biggest events for business and capital, providing an opportunity for innovators and investors to come together and explore growth opportunities.

The event will be held in Sydney over four days in October, bringing together the brightest minds, industry leaders, ventures, technology and capital from Australia and globally.

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