The Big Interview: Nils Nielsen

The former Denmark and Switzerland head coach was appointed Manchester City's Head of Women's Football earlier this year and talks to WFC about how plans behind the scenes are progressing.

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Nils Nielsen was appointed Head of Women’s Football at Manchester City earlier this year. Image: MCFC

Nils Nielsen now has his feet firmly under the table at the City Football Academy, how his new home after arriving in Manchester to become Head of Women’s Football at Manchester City earlier this year.

The vastly experienced 51-year-old guided his home nation Denmark to the Euro 2017 before embarking on a spell in China and then as head coach of Switzerland, before departing at the end of last year.

Nielsen has been tasked with guiding, structuring and essentially getting back on track a programme which at one time promised so much, but hasn’t delivered what a club the size of Manchester City should have.

One Barclays Women’s Super League title in 10 years is one key figure they want to change, as is the fact they won’t be in the UEFA Champions League next season, this time not even making it as far as the qualifiers after a fourth-place finish in the league last time out.

Nielsen is already working closely alongside head coach Gareth Taylor and academy technical director Jayne Ludlow to make the necessary changes which will help City get to a similar place their men’s team currently enjoys, and the Dane has enjoyed getting his teeth into a new challenge.

“It was quite clear from the start the amount of talent we have in the team is something we are very happy with…”

“Lots of different things,” he says, when I ask what he’s been up to now he’s had a few months in the job. “Of course, the priority has been the team. It’s an open window now, so we have been looking at that first and I’ve been getting to know everybody, how they work and getting familiar with the club. It’s been pretty exciting, it’s a great place to work.”

Head coach Taylor admitted at the end of the season he would potentially only bring in one signing to the club, to the surprise of many after finishing outside the top three for the first time since their debut season in 2014.

But Nielsen hints at a more thorough long-term plan now, rather than quick fixes, with the backdrop of a team which changed significantly last summer after the key departures of Caroline Weir, Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway, and several new additions from leagues overseas.

“In this window, yes,” Nielsen says, regarding minimal short-term changes. “But, we also plan ahead for what’s going to happen in the long run and that’s part of my job here. It’s to make sure the team is always able to be at the top of the league and hopefully win some trophies.

“In this case, it was quite clear from the start the amount of talent we have in the team is something we are very happy with and there are only a few additions needed to be really competitive next year. We were not far away last season, there were a few things we were missing which we have tried to sort out now and it means the main focus has been largely on the renewal of contracts.”

Losing key players is something a club the size of Manchester City couldn’t afford to continue. Losing an entire midfield three to big clubs abroad, two of them for free, last summer did nothing to appease fan frustration as their side slid further and further away from champions Chelsea, this season also falling nine points behind city rivals Manchester United for the first time.

Filippa Angeldahl saw her contract option exercised when experienced defensive duo Steph Houghton and Demi Stokes also signed new one-year deals, but the key deal was striker Khadija Shaw extending her contract to 2026, a huge show of faith from one of the world’s top strikers.

City also have Alex Greenwood, Jess Park and Mary Fowler on deals to 2026, while the likes of Chloe Kelly, Esme Morgan, Laia Aleixandri, Deyna Castellanos and others all have multiple years left on their existing deals.

But fans were also frustrated at the decision to keep Taylor as head coach after missing out on European football and going trophy-less last season. Taylor won both an FA Cup and a Continental Cup in his first two seasons in charge while juggling various injury crisis’ at the club, but Nielsen believes right now with most of the changes going on behind the scenes, stability was the best course of action, but he understands supporters want to see the team lift silverware once again.

“And they should!” he exclaims. “That’s the target, we want to do that. We want to win, for sure. We made an evaluation after the season and the conclusion was this was the best way to move forward.

“You mentioned Gareth, he’s a great coach and that’s why [his contract was extended]. He’s done really well with this squad and the changes we’ve made. There are pieces still missing, but not many, it was important for us to not start over.