🔗 Share this article Emma Coates Departs England Under-23s Position to Assume Command at NWSL's Bay FC In a significant career move, Emma Coates has stepped down from the England Women’s Under-23 national team to take over as head coach for National Women’s Soccer League franchise Bay FC. Fresh Beginnings Coates succeeds Albertin Montoya, who guided the San Jose-based club during its first two seasons in the top-flight American league. Montoya announced 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 league standings. “My time with the FA has been incredible my time with the FA,” stated Coates. “It has been instrumental in my development both professionally and personally. This feels like the right moment to test my abilities in a new environment.” Coaching Pedigree During her tenure in 2023, Coates managed 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 NWSL is her England assistant, Gemma Davies, a former Aston Villa manager in the Women’s Super League. Bay FC's CEO, a former FA women’s technical director, highlighted Coates's abilities: “Coates is an excellent coach, but she also has a demonstrated history of nurturing talent to compete at the highest levels.” “Her leadership qualities are exceptional of people and culture and has the football vision we were looking for,” added Cossington. Club Context The club had a mixed start to its NWSL existence, securing a playoff spot and losing in the playoffs in its debut season before struggling to a 13th-place finish in 2025. The Football Association's new technical lead, Gavin Step, bid farewell to the departing duo: “Our gratitude goes to Emma and Gemma for their time with us and extend our best wishes with their venture abroad. Emma, with Gemma, has played a crucial part in strengthening the pathway between the WU23s and the senior squad.” “Their work has directly shaped the development of many young players who have earned call-ups to senior Lionesses,” he finished. Player Progression Since taking over Mo Marley in 2023, Coates has been integral to the advancement of a number of players to the Lionesses squad, including midfielder Lucia Kendall—who recently scored her first Lionesses goal—and forwards 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 youth national team in the coming years.