Jodie Taylor has been appointed as Arsenal Women’s first ever Technical Director. Taylor played for the club for short spells in 2016 and 2023 before being appointed as Technical Services Manager upon her retirement from playing in the summer of 2023.
With Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley’s role increasingly involving upwards management at Arsenal, overseeing the various departments as well as reporting into the Arsenal board and representing Arsenal on various cross cutting WSL, UEFA and FIFA boards, Taylor’s role will focus more on day-to-day involvement with Renee Slegers and the squad.
As Technical Director, Taylor will also oversee strategic aspects like player pathways and academy. ‘I’m immensely proud to step into the role of Technical Director,’ said Taylor. ‘It’s ten 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.’
Director of Women’s Football, Clare Wheatley, said: ‘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.’