Page 12 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.22 2022-23

Emma Coates has been appointed head coach of England Under-23s. FA
women’s technical director Kay Cossington and Lionesses head coach Sarina
Wiegman see the appointment as key to building on the significant progress
within the player pathway through development teams to the senior set up.
Coates has been working in the England coaching structure at St
George’s Park, and is currently guiding the U19s in their qualifying campaign
for this summer’s UEFA EURO. She will begin her new role for the 2023-24
season.
Mo Marley had been leading the WU23s while a full-time appointment
was sought but will now return to providing mentoring to national coaches.
Marley had originally chosen to step back from full time coaching in October 2020.
Coates said: “It is a really proud moment to become head coach of the WU23s and I would
like to thank Kay for the opportunity.
“It is always a privilege to work in the pathway with England teams. This new role is
particularly exciting with how closely it is aligned to the seniors. You can see the flurry of
promising players that have come through recently and how Sarina is committed to giving them
an opportunity if they are performing.”
“We have some incredible talent in our system. As a coach I am driven by player
development and committed to helping individuals to improve, which goes hand in hand with
learning how to win football matches as a team. I see this role as an opportunity for me to bring
together all of my experiences from Leeds, Doncaster and England to help maintain that flow of
players who transition through to the seniors, making the most of their talent as football players
and helping them grow as people off the pitch too.”
Coates also spoke about the importance of St. George’s Park as a “hub for football” and the
opportunity it provides to “create connectivity between all teams and coaches”. She also paid
tribute to Marley, adding: “I am super lucky to have been able to learn from her at first hand and
see the standards she holds. The number of top players she has helped develop is phenomenal.”
Cossington said: “I am delighted we have been able to make this appointment. Emma
brings exceptional experience of our player pathway, but also has the know-how of coaching
within the Barclays Women’s Super League and at international tournaments.
“Appointing Emma to this role is an endorsement for the work being done within our
technical directorate to support talented female coaches. I would also like to thank Mo for the
way she continues to support England teams. She is an incredible coaching role model.”
Having begun her coaching career with Leeds United, Coates went on to Doncaster Rovers
Belles – becoming head coach in June 2016 before joining the FA as a national-team coach just
over a year later.
Fresh from a 3-0 win against Switzerland for the WU19s last week, Coates will lead that
age group in April when they take on mini-tournament hosts Spain, Slovenia and Belarus for a
place in the EURO finals in Belgium this July. Recruitment for the coach to lead the WU19s
from next season will begin in due course.
The WU23s returned as an age-group team in October 2021 – a month after Wiegman
began her work with the seniors – and started the new era with a 1-0 win in Belgium. Five of
that squad – including match-winner Katie Robinson - featured in the Arnold Clark Cup-
winning senior squad last week.
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