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Marking a major shift in her coaching journey, the 34-year-old coach has left her position leading the England WU23 national team to be appointed head coach for National Women’s Soccer League franchise Bay FC.

Transition Stateside

She takes over from Albertin Montoya, who was at the helm of the San Jose-based club during its inaugural two seasons in the top-flight American league. Montoya stated in September his intention to step down at the end of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC end up 13th in the 14-team standings.

“It has been a privilege to serve my time with the FA,” remarked Coates. “The experience has been formative both in my career and as an individual. This feels like the right moment to challenge myself in a new environment.”

Proven Developer

During her tenure in 2023, Coates guided 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. She will be joined to the United States is her former Lionesses staff member, Gemma Davies, a former Aston Villa manager in the WSL.

Kay Cossington, a former FA women’s technical director, highlighted Coates's abilities: “Emma is not only an excellent coach, but she also has a demonstrated history of nurturing talent to thrive domestically and internationally.”

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

Club Context

The club had a contrasting start to its NWSL existence, securing a playoff spot and suffering a postseason defeat in its first year before facing difficulties to a near-bottom placement in 2025.

Gavin Step, Gavin Step, bid farewell to the outgoing coaches: “Our gratitude goes to Emma and Gemma for their time with us and wish them all the best with their new challenge. They have played a key role in fortifying the pipeline between the WU23s and the senior squad.”

“Their work has directly shaped the development of many young players who have gone on to become senior Lionesses,” he finished.

Player Progression

Since taking over Mo Marley in 2023, Coates presided over the rise of multiple players to the England senior side, including midfielder Lucia Kendall—who netted her debut Lionesses goal—and forwards Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.

The search for new U23 coaching staff has already commenced, as the FA looks to continue the growth of the Women’s Under-23s setup in the coming years.