Man City confirm appointment of new Director Of Football

Manchester City have confirmed Nils Nielson as their new Director Of Football.
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The Women’s Super League giants announced the news this afternoon via their official website, subject to work permit approval.

Former head coach of both the Danish and Switzerland Women’s national team, the Dane will take charge of coach and player development across the women’s first team setup, while the club also confirmed he will take the lead on player recruitment across the entirety of the women and girls’ pathway at the Academy Stadium.

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“I am very happy to be here at Manchester City. Moving away from coaching and into a directorial role, it is ultimately about making a difference and working closely with people across the whole set-up” said Nielson.

“I’ve always been incredibly passionate about the development side of the game – that has driven me throughout my career. Manchester City want to be pioneering, and that makes this the perfect club for me to be at.

“You don’t get it much better than here – you have everything you need to be the best you can be, and I know there are exciting plans to come. This is a Club that will continue to grow, and that makes me very excited for what lies ahead in the future” he added, speaking to the Manchester City website.

The 51-year-old arrives at the club boasting a long and impressive career that has saw him spend a decade at professional level, firstly overseeing the Denmark Women’s under-18 squad before taking the reigns at the national side shortly afterwards, where his side reached the European Championship final in 2017 but lost 4-2 to eventual champions the Netherlands.

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Both first team Head Coach Gareth Taylor and Girls’ Academy Technical Director Jayne Ludlow will report directly to Nielson, with who himself with work under Managing Director Gavin Makel, who the club say will continue to head up overall business operations for Manchester City Women.

Former City and England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley will also work alongside Nielsen once she has completed her current development programme with the Cityzens, the club have confirmed.