Arsenal appoint Jodie Taylor as Technical Director

Arsenal have appointed Jodie Taylor as Technical Director of their women’s team, promoting her from her existing role within the club’s technical department.

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Taylor retired from playing in September 2023 and joined Arsenal’s backroom staff soon afterwards as Technical Services Manager.

In that role, Arsenal note that was involved in the strategic and operational development of the women’s first team and the wider performance set-up, duties that now sit formally within her new position.

Her appointment builds on a long association with the club. Taylor enjoyed two spells as an Arsenal player, scoring 10 goals in 17 appearances between 2016 and 2017, before returning on a short-term deal in March 2023.

“I’m immensely proud to step into the role of Technical Director,” Taylor said. “It’s 10 years since I first joined Arsenal as a player, and the progress and growth of the club since that time has been remarkable.

“Building on the strong foundations already in place, we want to nurture a high-performance environment where our players, Renée and wider staff have the right tools and the best possible environment to deliver at the highest level.”

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Clare Wheatley, Arsenal’s Director of Women’s Football, said the role would be central to the club’s long-term plans. “We’re thrilled to appoint Jodie as our first Technical Director. This role will be integral to the continued development of our team, as we push to challenge to win major trophies consistently.

“Jodie has already made a huge contribution to our environment here and will continue to drive progress in her new role. Jodie knows the club so well, and we’re proud to continue to have our former players still working with us and further support the growth of our game.”

The news came at the same time Arsenal announced a new deal for Renee Slegers, with her initial short-term contract set to expire in the summer. That is no coincidence, and to understand more about the situation, and what makes Taylor so qualified for this role, please read Tim Stillman’s piece, “Slegers contract and Taylor appointment a step in the right direction strategically“