Coach Emma Coates Exits England Under-23s Post to Assume Command at National Women's Soccer League's Bay FC
In a significant career move, the 34-year-old coach has resigned her post with the England Women’s Under-23 national team to take over as head coach for NWSL expansion side Bay FC.
Fresh Beginnings
Coates succeeds Albertin Montoya, who guided the San Jose-based club during its first two seasons in the premier American league. Montoya announced 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.
“My time with the FA has been incredible my time with the FA,” commented Coates. “The experience has been formative both in my career and as an individual. I am now prepared and eager to test my abilities in a different setting.”
Proven Developer
In her time at the helm in 2023, Coates guided the England U23s through matches 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 NWSL is her England assistant, 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: “Coates is an excellent coach, but she also has a strong record of nurturing talent to succeed on the biggest stages.”
“She is an outstanding leader of teams and environments and has the strategic outlook we were looking for,” she continued.
Club Context
The club experienced a rollercoaster start to its NWSL existence, finishing in seventh place and suffering a postseason defeat in its first year before slipping to a near-bottom placement in 2025.
The Football Association's new technical lead, Gavin Step, bid farewell 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 pivotal part in fortifying the pipeline between the WU23s and the senior squad.”
“Together, they have directly influenced the development of many young players who have earned call-ups to senior Lionesses,” Step concluded.
Player Progression
Since taking over Mo Marley in 2023, Coates has overseen the advancement of multiple players to the national team, including playmaker Lucia Kendall—who recently scored her debut Lionesses goal—and attackers Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.
An extensive process for successors to fill the roles has begun, as the FA looks to continue the growth of the WU23 program in the future.
