Jodie Taylor will return to Arsenal Women in an off-field role as a Football Services Executive. Taylor spent two spells at the club as a player, including on a short term loan during the spring, before she officially retired in September.
The 37-year-old played for the Gunners in 2016-17 before making a surprise return on loan in March as an injury crisis gripped the Arsenal forward line. Taylor, who has enjoyed playing spells in the US, France, Sweden and Australia, as well as England, not joins in an off-field role.
An Arsenal statement read, ‘In the new role of Football Services Executive, Jodie will work closely with our Head Coach Jonas Eidevall, our Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley and our first-team playing squad and technical staff to support the continued growth of Arsenal Women.
“I’m really excited to be returning to Arsenal and taking on this new role,” said Jodie. “I’m looking forward to working with Jonas, Clare and the football leadership team across the club, as well as providing a link between the players and staff. I love how well-respected and supported our women’s team is and I’m excited to continue to drive the high-performance culture within the club.”
Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley said: “We’re so pleased to welcome Jodie back to the club as our new Football Services Executive. In this new position, Jodie will help to support our continued growth and development by working closely with myself, Jonas and the wider first-team playing and technical group. As a former Arsenal player and somebody with such wide experience across the women’s game, we believe Jodie is a wonderful fit to step into this role and help us achieve our goals.”
Another future thinking appointment by AWFC. Welcome back JT27
Not very clear specifically what her role is. Perhaps it is for her to come up with ideas and projects. I like recruiting former players, though.
Like you I have nothing against Jody and she has a lot of experience both home and abroad but is this job title really a thing? Are Clare Wheatley and Jonas so remote that they need an intermediary to the players? Perhaps it is forward thinking and next season all WSL clubs shall have a Football Services Executive? Personally, I’d rather retired players became referees and that might raise the officiating standards more quickly than the FA appear to be geared up for.
On the contrary, retired players becoming referees might be a disaster as you would be shocked at how many of them don’t know the rules as much a you would expect.
These jobs are always a bit opaque. On the men’s side, can any of us honestly say we know the precise separation of responsibilities between Vinai, Edu, Tim Lewis and Richard Garlick? Jodie has a wealth of experience from across the globe and Arsenal have allowed too much of this football IQ, which they are connected to more than any other club, to go to other clubs. Jayne Ludlow heading up the Man City Academy, for instance, is infuriating. Essentially Arsenal are hiring more BTS staff which ought to help with recruitment in particular and that can’t be a bad… Read more »
What I would love Jodie Taylor to do is go back to the States and work some of her player or agent connections, carrying a suitcase full of photos of Kelly Smith and Kim Little in Arsenal kit! The NWSL is a huge talent pool we need to fish on. North Americans, South Americans, Africans, Antipodeans – that league could be a very important source of players. Jodie could get us some contacts.
Great news. Welcome back Jodie 👏