England's Emma Coates Departs England U23 Post to Become Head Coach at National Women's Soccer League's Bay FC
Marking a major shift in her coaching journey, the former England youth boss has left her position leading the Young Lionesses national team to be appointed head coach for National Women’s Soccer League franchise Bay FC.
Fresh Beginnings
Her appointment follows the departure of Albertin Montoya, who led the San Jose-based club during its inaugural 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 finish second-bottom in the 14-team standings.
“It has been a privilege to serve my time with the FA,” remarked Coates. “It has been instrumental in my development both in my career and as an individual. This feels like the right moment 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 continental competition and a high-scoring loss to the United States. Accompanying her to the United States is her England assistant, Gemma Davies, a ex- Aston Villa manager in the Women’s Super League.
Kay Cossington, a one-time Football Association technical lead, spoke highly of Coates's credentials: “Emma is not only an excellent coach, but she also has a proven track record of developing players to thrive domestically and internationally.”
“Her leadership qualities are exceptional of teams and environments and has the football vision we were searching for,” added Cossington.
Bay FC's Journey
The club had a contrasting start to its NWSL existence, securing a playoff spot and suffering a postseason defeat in its inaugural campaign before facing difficulties to a 13th-place finish 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 extend our best wishes with their venture abroad. They have played a crucial part in fortifying the pipeline between the WU23s and the senior squad.”
“Their work has directly impacted the development of many promising talents who have progressed into senior Lionesses,” Step concluded.
Lasting Legacy
After succeeding Mo Marley in 2023, Coates has overseen the advancement of a number of players to the national team, including midfielder Lucia Kendall—who netted her debut Lionesses goal—and forwards Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.
The search for successors to fill the roles has already commenced, with the aim to continue the progress of the youth national team in the future.
