Newcastle United said on Monday that they’ve hired Sudarshan Gopaladesikan as their new Technical Director. It’s a pretty important move for the club as they try to improve their football setup.
Sudarshan Gopaladesikan to Lead Football Data at Newcastle
Sudarshan will report to the new Sporting Director and be in charge of football data across the club. He’ll work closely with coach Eddie Howe and the coaching team, plus the performance, medical, recruitment, and analysis folks.
His role is to bring data-driven ideas into every part of the club — men’s team, women’s team, and the Academy. Newcastle clearly wants to use more data to get better results on the pitch.
Experience from Big Clubs in Europe
Before Newcastle, Sudarshan was Director of Football Intelligence at Atalanta in Italy. While he was there, the club did really well — top five in Serie A three seasons straight, won the UEFA Europa League, and got to the Coppa Italia final.
Before that, he spent five years at Benfica in Portugal as Head of Sports Data Science. Benfica’s men’s team won the league and reached quarter-finals in the Champions League and Europa League. The women’s team won two national titles, and the academy made it to the UEFA Youth League final twice, winning it in 2021/22.
Sharing Knowledge Beyond Clubs
Besides working at clubs, Sudarshan also teaches data-driven decision making for FIFA’s Executive Education and the PFA Business School. People see him as one of the leading figures in football data science.
Sudarshan Gopaladesikan said, “I’m delighted and honoured to be joining Newcastle United as Technical Director. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with clubs that have deeply passionate fanbases, and Newcastle stands out for its unique connection between the team, the city and its supporters.
“I’m excited to work alongside the club’s talented staff to identify what helps give us a competitive edge. Most of all, I’m looking forward to experiencing the incredible matchday atmosphere at St. James’ Park and being part of this proud football family and community.”
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