England's Emma Coates Leaves the Young Lionesses Post to Become Head Coach at NWSL's Bay FC
Embarking on a fresh professional challenge, Emma Coates has resigned her post with the Young Lionesses national team to be appointed head coach for NWSL franchise Bay FC.
Transition Stateside
Coates succeeds Albertin Montoya, who led the San Jose-based club during its first two seasons in the top-flight American league. Montoya announced in September his intention to depart at the end 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 on and off the pitch. This feels like the right moment to test my abilities in a fresh challenge.”
Coaching Pedigree
Since taking charge in 2023, Coates managed the England U23s through matches including a 1-0 victory over Norway in the continental competition and a 4-2 friendly defeat to the United States. Making the move alongside her to America is her England assistant, Gemma Davies, a ex- Aston Villa manager in the English top division.
Kay Cossington, a one-time Football Association technical lead, spoke highly of Coates's credentials: “She is both an excellent coach, but she also has a demonstrated history of developing players to thrive domestically and internationally.”
“She is an outstanding leader of teams and environments and has the strategic outlook we were seeking,” added Cossington.
Club Context
The club had a mixed start to its NWSL existence, securing a playoff spot and losing in the playoffs in its first year before facing difficulties to a 13th-place finish in 2025.
The Football Association's new technical lead, Gavin Step, bid farewell to the departing duo: “We thank Emma and Gemma for their time with us and extend our best wishes with their new challenge. Emma, with Gemma, has played a key role in bolstering the progression route between the WU23s and the senior squad.”
“Their work has directly shaped the development of many promising talents who have progressed into senior Lionesses,” he added.
Pathway Success
Since taking over Mo Marley in 2023, Coates has overseen the advancement of several players to the England senior side, including playmaker Lucia Kendall—who recently scored her debut Lionesses goal—and forwards Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.
The search for their replacements has already commenced, as the FA looks to continue the growth of the Women’s Under-23s setup in the future.
