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Embarking on a fresh professional challenge, the former England youth boss has left her position leading the England Women’s Under-23 national team to be appointed head coach for NWSL franchise Bay FC.

A New Chapter

She takes over from Albertin Montoya, who led the California club during its inaugural two seasons in the top-flight American league. Montoya announced in September his intention to step down at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC occupy a lowly 13th place in the 14-team standings.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the FA,” remarked Coates. “It has been instrumental in my development both professionally and personally. I am now prepared and eager to push myself in a different setting.”

Coaching Pedigree

In her time at the helm in 2023, Coates managed the England U23s through fixtures including a narrow win over Norway in the continental competition and a high-scoring loss to the United States. Accompanying her to America is her England assistant, Gemma Davies, a ex- Aston Villa manager in the English top division.

The club's chief executive, a former FA women’s technical director, highlighted Coates's qualifications: “Coates is an outstanding tactician, but she also has a proven track record of nurturing talent to thrive domestically and internationally.”

“She is an outstanding leader of teams and environments and has the strategic outlook we were looking for,” she continued.

The Task Ahead

Bay FC had a contrasting start to its NWSL existence, securing a playoff spot and suffering a postseason defeat in its inaugural campaign before struggling to a near-bottom placement 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 venture abroad. They have played a crucial part in fortifying the pipeline between the WU23s and the senior squad.”

“Together, they have directly impacted the development of many promising talents who have gone on to become senior Lionesses,” Step concluded.

Player Progression

After succeeding Mo Marley in 2023, Coates presided over the advancement of several players to the Lionesses squad, including midfielder 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, with the aim to continue the development of the Women’s Under-23s setup in the coming years.