England's Emma Coates Departs England Under-23s Position to Take Helm at National Women's Soccer League's Bay FC
In a significant career move, Emma Coates has left her position leading the England Women’s Under-23 national team to be appointed head coach for NWSL franchise Bay FC.
Transition Stateside
She takes over from Albertin Montoya, who was at the helm of the San Jose-based club during its debut two seasons in the top-flight American league. Montoya stated in September his intention to step down at the end of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC occupy a lowly 13th place in the league standings.
“My time with the FA has been incredible my time with the FA,” stated Coates. “It has been instrumental in my development both in my career and as an individual. I am now prepared and eager to test my abilities in a fresh challenge.”
Coaching Pedigree
During her tenure in 2023, Coates guided the England U23s through fixtures including a narrow win over Norway in the European U23 League and a high-scoring loss to the United States. She will be joined to the NWSL is her former Lionesses staff member, Gemma Davies, a former Aston Villa manager in the English top division.
Kay Cossington, a former FA women’s technical director, spoke highly of Coates's credentials: “Coates is an superb manager, but she also has a demonstrated history of elevating athletes to succeed on the biggest stages.”
“She is an outstanding leader of people and culture and has the strategic outlook we were looking for,” added Cossington.
The Task Ahead
The California side experienced a rollercoaster start to its NWSL existence, finishing in seventh place and suffering a postseason defeat in its first year before struggling to a near-bottom placement in 2025.
The new FA women’s technical director, Gavin Step, offered thanks to the departing duo: “We thank Emma and Gemma for their service and wish them all the best with their new challenge. They have played a crucial part in bolstering the progression route between the young Lionesses and the first team.”
“Together, they have directly impacted the development of many promising talents who have progressed into senior Lionesses,” Step concluded.
Player Progression
Since taking over Mo Marley in 2023, Coates presided over the rise of a number of players to the national team, including playmaker Lucia Kendall—who netted her debut Lionesses goal—and attackers Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.
The search for new U23 coaching staff has already commenced, to continue the progress of the WU23 program in the future.
