Emma Coates has left her role as England Under-23 women's team leader to become England's new head coach. NVSL Bay FC side.
Coates replaces Albertin Montoya, who coached the expansion team when it entered the National Women's Soccer League two years ago. In September, Montoya announced he would retire at the end of the 2025 season, with the San Jose team finishing 13th in the 14-team standings.
Coates, 34, has coached England Under-23s since 2023, most recently overseeing a 1-0 Europa League Under-23s win over Norway and a 4-2 friendly defeat to the United States. Her England assistant Gemma Davis, who previously managed Aston Villa in the Women's Super League, will join her at the Bay.
“I really enjoyed spending time with [English] FA,” Coates said, “It helped shape me both professionally and personally. I now feel ready and excited to challenge myself in a new environment. “I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone at the FA for their trust, support and belief throughout my journey.”
Kay Cossington, CEO of Bay Collective and former technical director of the Women's FAsaid: “Emma is not only an excellent coach, but she also has a proven track record of developing players who can compete at the highest level both domestically and internationally.
“She [Coates] “Emma has consistently demonstrated the ability to take players and teams to the next level with clarity, focus and determination,” Cossington added.
Bay FC finished seventh in 2024, losing in the playoffs to the Washington Spirit in their debut season, and finished second in the table this season.
New Women's FA technical director Gavin Step said: “We thank Emma and Gemma for spending time with us and wish them all the best in their new challenge. Emma, with Gemma's support, has played a key role in strengthening the links between the WU23s and the senior team, as well as the junior age groups.”
“Together they have directly influenced the development of many young players who have gone on to become senior Lionesses and have helped re-establish WU23 as the team fans want to watch wherever they play across the country.
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“We are delighted to see the under-23 women's team continue to grow in the coming years and have already begun the search for their replacement,” concluded Step.
Since taking over from Mo Marley as under-23 coach in 2023, Coates has seen a number of players progress to the England senior team, including midfielder Lucia Kendall, who scored her Lioness debut against Ghana on Tuesday, and strikers Michelle Adyemang and Aggie Beaver-Jones.
