Nicolas Jover Explained

Nicolas Jover (born 28 October 1981) is a German-born French football coach who is currently the set-piece coach of club Arsenal.

Career

Born in Berlin, Germany, Jover was raised in France.^[2] He moved to Quebec, Canada in his early twenties to study for a sports degree at the University of Sherbrooke,^[3] courtesy of the link between University of Montpellier and Sherbrooke.^[2] During his time there, Jover drew on the influence of North American sports such as the National Football League.^[3] After studying for a master's degree, he joined Dynamik de Sherbrooke, a local amateur club, as their technical director.^[2]

Jover returned to France and joined Montpellier as a video analyst in 2009.^{[2] [3]} He helped them claim their first Ligue 1 title in the 2011–12 season,^[4] which saw Montpellier boss René Girard received UNFP Ligue 1 Manager of the Year^[5] and striker Olivier Giroud was named the league's top scorer by the Ligue de Football Professionnel.^[6] While working at Montpellier, he also took a match analyst role for Croatia for a brief spell in 2013.^[7]

Jover moved to England as a set-piece coach of Dean Smith at Brentford from July 2016,^[8] and was part of Smith's successor Thomas Frank's coaching team until June 2019.^[9] In the 2018–19 season he shared the same office with goalkeeping coach Iñaki Caña,^[10] who would join Arsenal in December 2019.^{[11] [12]}

In July 2019, Manchester City appointed Jover as an assistant to Pep Guardiola, specializing in set-pieces,^{[13] [14]} on the recommendation of Mikel Arteta who was the No.2 at the Etihad.^{[15] [3]} Arteta left Manchester City for the Arsenal's head coach job in December 2019.^{[16] [17]} In the 2020–21 season, Jover helped Manchester City claim the Premier League title and reach the Champions League final.^[2] He left his role in June 2021, when his contract expired at the end of the month.^{[2] [18]}

On 5 July 2021, Jover was appointed as set-piece coach to manager Mikel Arteta at Arsenal,^{[19] [18]} working alongside assistant coaches Albert Stuivenberg, Steve Round, Carlos Cuesta and Miguel Molina, and goalkeeping coach Iñaki Caña.^{[11] [20]} In the 2023–24 season with Jover's help, Arsenal scored twenty set-piece goals (excluding penalties) in the Premier League, the most in the division. Sixteen of those came from corners, matching the record in a single Premier League campaign.^[21]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Nicolas Jover . worldfootball.net . 15 October 2024.
2. Web site: Nicolas Jover is a master of deception and the man behind Arsenal's set-piece success . Campbell . Jordan . 20 December 2023 . . 15 October 2024.
3. Web site: How Nicolas Jover transformed Arsenal's set pieces . Robertson . Gregor . 2 February 2024 . . 15 October 2024.
4. Web site: Nicolas Jover: Arsenal's set-piece 'genius' is transforming their threat from dead-ball situations . Wright . Nick . 19 November 2021 . . 15 October 2024.
5. Web site: UNFP: Trophées UNFP du football: Le palmarès complet... . 14 May 2012 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140303055426/http://www.unfp.org/a-la-une/article/le-palmares-complet-14052012-6476.html . 3 March 2014 . fr.
6. Web site: Olivier Giroud couronné . 20 May 2012 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120624020015/http://www.lfp.fr/ligue1/article/olivier-giroud-couronne.htm . 24 June 2012 . fr.
7. Web site: Meet Arsenal's set-piece coach Nicolas Jover – the guru behind their dead-ball dominance . Thomas-Humphreys . Harry . 24 February 2024 . . 15 October 2024.
8. Web site: 'Identify weaknesses and exploit them': the rise of the set-piece coach . Aarons . Ed . 3 May 2024 . . 12 October 2024.
9. Web site: Who is Nicolas Jover? Arsenal's ex-Man City coach in Erling Haaland and Kyle Walker bust-up . Marsh . Dan . 9 October 2023 . . 15 October 2024.
10. Web site: Thomas Frank: Actions speak louder than words . 17 May 2019 . Brentford F.C. . 12 October 2024.
11. Web site: Coaching team named . 24 December 2019 . Arsenal F.C. . 12 October 2024.
12. Web site: Mikel Arteta: Arsenal's new boss encouraged by early signs from players . 26 December 2019 . . 12 October 2024.
13. Web site: Arsenal's clever corners and their importance in the Premier League title race . Walid . Ahmed . 25 January 2023 . The New York Times . 15 October 2024.
14. Web site: How Nicolas Jover has made Arsenal the kings of set-pieces . Keble . Alex . 2 May 2024 . Premier League . 15 October 2024.
15. Web site: Arsenal's game-breaking goals have become a superpower Arteta can rely on . Campbell . Jordan . 17 September 2024 . The New York Times . 15 October 2024.
16. Web site: Mikel Arteta joining as our new head coach . 20 December 2019 . Arsenal F.C. . 15 October 2024.
17. Web site: Mikel Arteta: Arsenal appoint ex-captain as head coach . 20 December 2019 . BBC Sport . 15 October 2024.
18. Web site: Arsenal hire former Man City coach Nicolas Jover as Andreas Georgson leaves for Malmo . Collings . Simon . 5 July 2021 . . 12 October 2024.
19. Web site: Arsenal appoint set-piece coach Nicolas Jover from Manchester City . de Roché . Art . 5 July 2021 . The New York Times . 12 October 2024.
20. Web site: Coaching and backroom team . 28 August 2020 . Arsenal F.C. . 12 October 2024.
21. Web site: Arsenal Were the Best Team in the Premier League This Season, but Even That Wasn't Enough . Sisneros . Matt . 19 May 2024 . The Analyst . 16 October 2024.