England's Emma Coates Departs the Young Lionesses Role to Assume Command at National Women's Soccer League's Bay FC
Marking a major shift in her coaching journey, the 34-year-old coach has left her position leading the England WU23 national team to be appointed head coach for NWSL franchise Bay FC.
Fresh Beginnings
Coates succeeds Albertin Montoya, who led the San Jose-based club during its inaugural two seasons in the premier American league. Montoya stated in September his intention to step down at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC end up 13th in the 14-team standings.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the FA,” remarked Coates. “It has been instrumental in my development 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 1-0 victory over Norway in the continental competition and a 4-2 friendly defeat to the United States. She will be joined to the United States is her England assistant, Gemma Davies, a ex- Aston Villa manager in the English top division.
Kay Cossington, a one-time Football Association technical lead, highlighted Coates's abilities: “Coates is an superb manager, but she also has a proven track record of developing players to thrive domestically and internationally.”
“Coates excels at leading of teams and environments and has the football vision we were searching for,” added Cossington.
Club Context
The California side experienced a rollercoaster start to its NWSL existence, finishing in seventh place and losing in the playoffs in its debut season before slipping to a 13th-place finish in 2025.
The new FA women’s technical director, Gavin Step, offered thanks to the departing duo: “We thank Emma and Gemma for their time with us and extend our best wishes with their new challenge. They have played a key role 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 gone on to become senior Lionesses,” he added.
Player Progression
After succeeding Mo Marley in 2023, Coates presided over the promotion of a number of players to the England senior side, including playmaker Lucia Kendall—who netted her first Lionesses goal—and attackers Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.
An extensive process for their replacements has begun, as the FA looks to continue the development of the Women’s Under-23s setup in the future.
