England's Emma Coates Departs England Under-23s Position to Become Head Coach at NWSL's Bay FC
In a significant career move, Emma Coates has stepped down from the Young Lionesses national team to take over as head coach for NWSL franchise Bay FC.
A New Chapter
She takes over from Albertin Montoya, who was at the helm of the California club during its inaugural two seasons in the top-flight American league. Montoya had revealed in September his intention to resign at the end of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC finish second-bottom in the 14-team standings.
“My time with the FA has been incredible my time with the FA,” stated Coates. “The experience has been formative both professionally and personally. Now, I feel ready and excited to challenge myself in a new environment.”
Track Record of Success
In her time at the helm 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. Accompanying her to the NWSL is her England assistant, Gemma Davies, a former Aston Villa manager in the Women’s Super League.
The club's chief executive, a former FA women’s technical director, spoke highly of Coates's credentials: “Emma is not only an superb manager, but she also has a proven track record of developing players to succeed on the biggest stages.”
“Her leadership qualities are exceptional of teams and environments and has the football vision we were looking for,” the CEO stated.
Club Context
The club experienced a mixed start to its NWSL existence, finishing in seventh place and suffering a postseason defeat in its debut season before facing difficulties to a near-bottom placement in 2025.
The new FA women’s technical director, Gavin Step, bid farewell to the outgoing coaches: “We thank Emma and Gemma for their contributions and extend our best wishes with their new challenge. Emma, with Gemma, has played a crucial part in fortifying the pipeline between the WU23s and the senior squad.”
“Their work has directly influenced the development of many young players who have gone on to become senior Lionesses,” he finished.
Pathway Success
After succeeding Mo Marley in 2023, Coates presided over the rise of several players to the England senior side, including midfielder Lucia Kendall—who recently scored her first Lionesses goal—and attackers Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.
The search for new U23 coaching staff has already commenced, with the aim to continue the progress of the youth national team in the future.
