England's Emma Coates Departs the Young Lionesses Position to Take Helm at NWSL's Bay FC
Marking a major shift in her coaching journey, Emma Coates has resigned her post with the England WU23 national team to take over as head coach for NWSL franchise Bay FC.
A New Chapter
She takes over from Albertin Montoya, who led the San Jose-based club during its debut two seasons in the premier American league. Montoya had revealed in September his intention to resign at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC occupy a lowly 13th place in the league standings.
“It has been a privilege to serve my time with the FA,” remarked Coates. “It has been instrumental in my development both in my career and as an individual. This feels like the right moment to push myself in a different setting.”
Track Record of Success
During her tenure in 2023, Coates oversaw 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 America is her right-hand woman, Gemma Davies, a ex- Aston Villa manager in the English top division.
Bay FC's CEO, a one-time Football Association technical lead, spoke highly of Coates's abilities: “Emma is not only an outstanding tactician, but she also has a proven track record of nurturing talent to compete at the highest levels.”
“She is an outstanding leader of squads and building ethos and has the strategic outlook we were looking for,” she continued.
Bay FC's Journey
The club had a mixed start to its NWSL existence, securing a playoff spot and suffering a postseason defeat in its debut season before slipping to a near-bottom placement in 2025.
The new FA women’s technical director, Gavin Step, offered thanks to the outgoing coaches: “Our gratitude goes to Emma and Gemma for their time with us and extend our best wishes with their next chapter. They have played a pivotal part in fortifying the pipeline between the WU23s and the senior squad.”
“Their work has directly shaped the development of many promising talents who have earned call-ups to senior Lionesses,” he added.
Pathway Success
Since taking over Mo Marley in 2023, Coates presided over the promotion of several players to the Lionesses squad, including playmaker Lucia Kendall—who recently scored her debut Lionesses goal—and forwards Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.
The search for successors to fill the roles is now underway, to continue the growth of the youth national team in the coming years.
