đ Share this article England's Emma Coates Leaves the Young Lionesses Post to Take Helm at NWSL's Bay FC Embarking on a fresh professional challenge, the 34-year-old coach has left her position leading the England WU23 national team to be appointed head coach for NWSL franchise Bay FC. Transition Stateside She takes over from Albertin Montoya, who led the California club during its debut two seasons in the premier American league. Montoya had revealed in September his intention to resign at the end of the 2025 campaign, a season which saw Bay FC finish second-bottom in the 14-team standings. âMy time with the FA has been incredible my time with the FA,â commented Coates. âThe experience has been formative both professionally and personally. Now, I feel ready and excited to push myself in a new environment.â Proven Developer During her tenure in 2023, Coates oversaw the England U23s through fixtures 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 the United States is her right-hand woman, Gemma Davies, a former Aston Villa manager in the Womenâs Super League. Bay FC's CEO, a one-time Football Association technical lead, praised Coates's qualifications: âEmma is not only an excellent coach, but she also has a demonstrated history of elevating athletes to compete at the highest levels.â âHer leadership qualities are exceptional of teams and environments and has the tactical philosophy we were looking for,â added Cossington. Bay FC's Journey The club had a mixed start to its NWSL existence, securing a playoff spot and losing in the playoffs in its inaugural campaign before slipping to a near-bottom placement in 2025. The new FA womenâs technical director, Gavin Step, offered thanks to the outgoing coaches: âWe thank 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 young Lionesses and the first team.â âTogether, they have directly influenced the development of many young players who have gone on to become senior Lionesses,â Step concluded. Pathway Success Since taking over Mo Marley in 2023, Coates presided over the rise of a number of players to the national team, including midfielder Lucia Kendallâwho netted her debut Lionesses goalâand forwards Michelle Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones. An extensive process for their replacements has begun, to continue the growth of the youth national team in the coming years.