🔗 Share this article England's Emma Coates Exits England Under-23s Position to Take Helm at NWSL's Bay FC Marking a major shift in her coaching journey, the 34-year-old coach has left her position leading the England Women’s Under-23 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 was at the helm of the San Jose-based club during its inaugural two seasons in the top-flight American league. Montoya had revealed in September his intention to resign at the end of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC occupy a lowly 13th place in the league standings. “My time with the FA has been incredible my time with the FA,” remarked Coates. “It has been instrumental in my development both on and off the pitch. I am now prepared and eager to push myself in a fresh challenge.” Track Record of Success During her tenure in 2023, Coates guided the England U23s through matches including a narrow win over Norway in the European U23 League and a high-scoring loss to the United States. Accompanying her to the NWSL is her former Lionesses staff member, Gemma Davies, a ex- Aston Villa manager in the WSL. The club's chief executive, a one-time Football Association technical lead, spoke highly of Coates's qualifications: “She is both an superb manager, but she also has a strong record of nurturing talent to compete at the highest levels.” “Coates excels at leading of teams and environments and has the tactical philosophy we were looking for,” added Cossington. Bay FC's Journey Bay FC had a rollercoaster start to its NWSL existence, securing a playoff spot and suffering a postseason defeat in its inaugural campaign 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 contributions and wish them all the best with their next chapter. Emma, with Gemma, has played a pivotal part in strengthening the pathway between the young Lionesses and the first team.” “Together, they have directly shaped the development of many promising talents who have gone on to become senior Lionesses,” he finished. Pathway Success After succeeding Mo Marley in 2023, Coates presided over the rise of a number of players to the Lionesses squad, including midfielder Lucia Kendall—who netted her first Lionesses goal—and attackers Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones. The search for successors to fill the roles is now underway, with the aim to continue the development of the youth national team in the future.