🔗 Share this article Coach Emma Coates Departs the Young Lionesses Role to Assume Command at NWSL's Bay FC Embarking on a fresh professional challenge, the 34-year-old coach has stepped down from the England Women’s Under-23 national team to be appointed head coach for NWSL expansion side Bay FC. A New Chapter Coates succeeds Albertin Montoya, who led the San Jose-based club during its inaugural two seasons in the top-flight American league. Montoya had revealed in September his intention to depart at the end of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC end up 13th in the league standings. “It has been a privilege to serve my time with the FA,” commented Coates. “It has helped shape me both on and off the pitch. This feels like the right moment to push myself in a fresh challenge.” Track Record of Success Since taking charge in 2023, Coates oversaw the England U23s through matches including a narrow win over Norway in the European U23 League and a 4-2 friendly defeat to the United States. Accompanying her to America is her England assistant, Gemma Davies, a ex- Aston Villa manager in the Women’s Super League. Kay Cossington, a former FA women’s technical director, highlighted Coates's abilities: “Coates is an superb manager, but she also has a proven track record of nurturing talent to compete at the highest levels.” “Coates excels at leading of teams and environments and has the football vision we were looking for,” added Cossington. Bay FC's Journey Bay FC had a contrasting start to its NWSL existence, finishing in seventh place and losing in the playoffs in its first year before slipping to a 13th-place finish in 2025. The new FA women’s technical director, Gavin Step, bid farewell to the outgoing coaches: “We thank Emma and Gemma for their time with us and extend our best wishes with their next chapter. Emma, with Gemma, has played a key role in fortifying the pipeline between the young Lionesses and the first team.” “Together, they have directly impacted the development of many young players who have earned call-ups to senior Lionesses,” Step concluded. Player Progression After succeeding Mo Marley in 2023, Coates presided over the rise of a number of players to the national team, including midfielder Lucia Kendall—who recently scored her first Lionesses goal—and attackers Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones. An extensive process for new U23 coaching staff is now underway, to continue the progress of the youth national team in the future.