England's Emma Coates Leaves England Under-23s Position to Become Head Coach at NWSL's Bay FC
Marking a major shift in her coaching journey, Emma Coates has stepped down from the England Women’s Under-23 national team to take over as head coach for NWSL expansion side Bay FC.
Transition Stateside
Her appointment follows the departure of Albertin Montoya, who was at the helm of the San Jose-based club during its first two seasons in the premier American league. Montoya had revealed in September his intention to depart at the end of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC occupy a lowly 13th place 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 test my abilities 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. She will be joined to the NWSL is her former Lionesses staff member, Gemma Davies, a ex- Aston Villa manager in the English top division.
Kay Cossington, a former FA women’s technical director, praised Coates's qualifications: “Emma is not only an excellent coach, but she also has a demonstrated history of nurturing talent to succeed on the biggest stages.”
“She is an outstanding leader of squads and building ethos and has the strategic outlook we were searching for,” she continued.
The Task Ahead
Bay FC experienced a mixed start to its NWSL existence, finishing in seventh place and losing in the playoffs in its inaugural campaign before slipping to a near-bottom placement in 2025.
Gavin Step, Gavin Step, bid farewell to the departing duo: “We thank Emma and Gemma for their time with us 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 influenced the development of many young players who have gone on to become senior Lionesses,” he added.
Player Progression
After succeeding Mo Marley in 2023, Coates has been integral to the promotion of a number of players to the national team, including playmaker Lucia Kendall—who recently scored her first Lionesses goal—and forwards Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.
An extensive process for new U23 coaching staff has begun, as the FA looks to continue the progress of the WU23 program in the future.
