Genovesi promoted to Director of Performance in Man City reshuffle
Written by
Simon Austin
June 23, 2025
Federico Genovesi has been promoted to Director of Performance at Manchester City as part of a reshuffle of the department.
The Italian, who joined City in July 2016, has been a First Team Physio throughout Pep Guardiola’s time at the club. Now he has been promoted to Men’s First Team Director of Performance, overseeing performance, medical, nutrition and psychology for Guardiola’s side.
The reshuffle has been sparked by the departure of James Thomas, the former Academy Director of Performance, who has left City after three-and-a-half years to become Performance Director for Warwickshire Cricket.
He has been replaced by James Cheeseman, who moves from First Team to Academy, with Genovesi stepping up in his place.
Writing on LinkedIn, Genovesi said: “I am honoured to announce my new position within the Manchester City First Team: Director of Performance. After 10 years working in the first team as a Physiotherapist, I’m now starting a position of great responsibility.
“The motto of one of the strongest and most solid organisations, the Spartan Phalanx, was, ‘the strength of a Spartan is the warrior at his side,’ and I am aware that with the level of expertise we have in our Performance Team, made of professionals with many years of international experience, we can do great things and achieve great results.
“C’mon City!”
Simon Timson is City’s overall Performance Director, overseeing the men’s and women’s teams and the boys’ and girls’ Academies at City AND the other 12 clubs within the City Football Group (CFG). Timson, a former Performance Director with England Cricket, UK Sport and the LTA, fulfils a strategic leadership role at City.
Timson has four direct reports: Genovesi, Cheeseman, Emma Deakin (Head of Performance for Manchester City Women) and Dan Lewindon (Director of Player Health and Performance), who oversees performance for Player Loans, plus the 12 clubs in CFG other than City.
In turn, the quartet have five direct reports of their own: a Head of Performance, Head Physio, Nutritionist, Psychologist and Head of Sports Medicine. For the Men’s First Team, Genovesi’s direct reports are: Chris Elderkin (Head of Performance), James Baldwin (Head Physio), Tom Parry (Nutritionist) and Max Sala (Head of Sports Medicine).
READ MORE: Elderkin promoted to Head of Performance by Man City
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