Training Ground Guru | Ferreras promoted to Data Analytics Lead by Arsenal

Susana Ferreras made the move to Arsenal from Vodafone in 2018.

Authored by Simon Austin on August 25, 2024

Susana Ferreras has been given a new position as the Arsenal Data Analytics Lead. She will now oversee the Research and Insights team.

The new coach from Spain is taking over for Tolly Coburn, who has departed from the team after serving for eight years to start a new position as Head of Men’s Insights at the Football Association. In this role, Coburn will be responsible for utilizing complex analytical methods to give practical advice and guide decisions related to player selection, growth, and performance for England's men's teams.

Coburn started working for the Gunners in 2016 after previously working at the Lawn Tennis Association. Initially, Coburn was an Analyst Assistant but was later promoted to the role of Data Analytics Lead in February 2022.

Ferreras started working at Arsenal as a Data Scientist in October 2018 after holding positions at Telefonica and Vodafone. Sarah Rudd, the former Head of Analytics at Arsenal, mentioned hiring Ferreras during her interview on the TGG Podcast in September 2023.

"When we were looking for someone to fill the position that Mikhail Zhilkin ultimately took, there were only two female candidates," Rudd recalled. "One was Susana, a former Olympic silver medalist in basketball from Spain. The other candidate was a woman who was working in Formula One, but she ended up not being able to continue with the application process."

"I was really surprised by the low number of women applying. Susana was so impressive that we rearranged things and created a new position for her."

Ferreras has been the Operations Manager for the Spain Women's basketball team at big tournaments since 2011 and played a role in their second-place finish in Rio in 2016. The head of Arsenal's data analytics department is now American Chris Dove, who is in charge of Software and Analytics. Dove took over from Rudd in July 2021, as Rudd had left to start her own consulting business.

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