England's Emma Coates Departs England U23 Position to Assume Command at NWSL's Bay FC

In a significant career move, the 34-year-old coach has stepped down from the England WU23 national team to take over as head coach for NWSL expansion side Bay FC.

Transition Stateside

She takes over from Albertin Montoya, who was at the helm of the San Jose-based club during its inaugural two seasons in the premier American league. Montoya had revealed 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 helped shape me both in my career and as an individual. Now, I feel ready and excited to test my abilities in a fresh challenge.”

Proven Developer

During her tenure in 2023, Coates managed the England U23s through matches including a narrow win over Norway in the continental competition and a 4-2 friendly defeat to the United States. Accompanying her to the United States is her former Lionesses staff member, Gemma Davies, a ex- Aston Villa manager in the English top division.

Bay FC's CEO, a one-time Football Association technical lead, praised Coates's credentials: “Emma is not only an excellent coach, but she also has a strong record of developing players to thrive domestically and internationally.”

“Her leadership qualities are exceptional of teams and environments and has the strategic outlook we were looking for,” she continued.

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 debut season before slipping to a 13th-place finish in 2025.

Gavin Step, Gavin Step, offered thanks to the outgoing coaches: “We thank Emma and Gemma for their service and extend our best wishes with their new challenge. Emma, with Gemma, has played a pivotal part in fortifying the pipeline between the WU23s and the senior squad.”

“Together, they have directly shaped the development of many promising talents who have gone on to become senior Lionesses,” he added.

Lasting Legacy

Since taking over Mo Marley in 2023, Coates has overseen the promotion of several players to the Lionesses squad, including playmaker Lucia Kendall—who recently scored her first Lionesses goal—and attackers Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.

The search for successors to fill the roles has already commenced, to continue the growth of the WU23 program in the coming years.