Emma Coates Departs the Young Lionesses Role to Become Head Coach at National Women's Soccer League's Bay FC

Embarking on a fresh professional challenge, Emma Coates has stepped down from the England WU23 national team to assume the role of head coach for NWSL expansion side Bay FC.

Fresh Beginnings

She takes over from Albertin Montoya, who was at the helm of the California club during its inaugural two seasons in the top-flight American league. Montoya stated in September his intention to resign at the conclusion 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. Now, I feel ready and excited to test my abilities in a new environment.”

Proven Developer

During her tenure in 2023, Coates oversaw the England U23s through matches including a 1-0 victory over Norway in the European U23 League and a 4-2 friendly defeat to the United States. She will be joined to the NWSL is her former Lionesses staff member, Gemma Davies, a former Aston Villa manager in the Women’s Super League.

The club's chief executive, a former FA women’s technical director, highlighted Coates's qualifications: “Coates is an excellent coach, but she also has a strong record of nurturing talent to succeed on the biggest stages.”

“Her leadership qualities are exceptional of teams and environments and has the strategic outlook we were searching for,” the CEO stated.

Bay FC's Journey

The club had a mixed start to its NWSL existence, finishing in seventh place and losing in the playoffs in its inaugural campaign before slipping to a 13th-place finish in 2025.

The Football Association's new technical lead, Gavin Step, offered thanks to the departing duo: “We thank Emma and Gemma for their contributions and extend our best wishes with their venture abroad. Emma, with Gemma, has played a crucial part in bolstering the progression route between the young Lionesses and the first team.”

“Their work has directly influenced the development of many promising talents who have progressed into senior Lionesses,” Step concluded.

Lasting Legacy

Since taking over Mo Marley in 2023, Coates has been integral to the promotion of multiple players to the national team, including midfielder Lucia Kendall—who netted her first 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 Women’s Under-23s setup in the seasons ahead.