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Marking a major shift in her coaching journey, Emma Coates has stepped down from the England WU23 national team to be appointed head coach for NWSL franchise Bay FC.

Fresh Beginnings

Coates succeeds Albertin Montoya, who led the California club during its first two seasons in the top-flight American league. Montoya stated in September his intention to depart at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC end up 13th in the league standings.

“It has been a privilege to serve my time with the FA,” commented Coates. “The experience has been formative both in my career and as an individual. Now, I feel ready and excited to test my abilities in a new environment.”

Track Record of Success

During her tenure in 2023, Coates oversaw the England U23s through fixtures including a 1-0 victory over Norway in the European U23 League and a 4-2 friendly defeat to the United States. She will be joined to the United States is her former Lionesses staff member, Gemma Davies, a former Aston Villa manager in the Women’s Super League.

Kay Cossington, a one-time Football Association technical lead, spoke highly of Coates's credentials: “Coates is an outstanding tactician, but she also has a demonstrated history of elevating athletes to thrive domestically and internationally.”

“Her leadership qualities are exceptional of squads and building ethos and has the strategic outlook we were seeking,” she continued.

Club Context

Bay FC experienced a mixed start to its NWSL existence, finishing in seventh place and losing in the playoffs in its debut season before slipping to a near-bottom placement in 2025.

The Football Association's new technical lead, Gavin Step, bid farewell to the outgoing coaches: “Our gratitude goes to Emma and Gemma for their contributions and wish them all the best with their venture abroad. They have played a key role in fortifying the pipeline between the young Lionesses and the first team.”

“Together, they have directly impacted the development of many young players who have earned call-ups to senior Lionesses,” Step concluded.

Pathway Success

After succeeding Mo Marley in 2023, Coates has overseen the promotion of a number of players to the Lionesses squad, including midfielder Lucia Kendall—who netted her first Lionesses goal—and forwards Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.

An extensive process for their replacements has begun, to continue the growth of the Women’s Under-23s setup in the future.