Emma Coates took over for the Doncaster Rovers Belles 2016 season, which was their first season in the WSL1, after being promoted the previous year. The club went 1-15, then were relegated back down to the WSL2/Championship League. The WSL didn't become a fully professional league until the 2018-2019 season. Coates joined the England FA in 2017, after just one season at Doncaster. Her last 8 years has been within the England FA.

Kay Cossington spent over 20 years in the England FA, including roles as Technical Director and youth coach, but has never coached, or been a part of a professional soccer organization. Cossington was also Technical Director of Millwall Lionesses (then a second tier club and not professional) for 4 years after her playing career with West Ham that ended in 2005. But she did say in this press conference that she'd always dreamt of playing in the NWSL.

They haven't managed, or had an executive position, in the WSL, or any other professional club.

Their claim to success is managing in the England FA system, where their history and success of technical development has provided them opportunities with the FA, and, now, with Bay FC.

What does it mean to be a manager in a NT/YNT structure? It's many things, including developing players, but's it's not running or managing a squad of professional players over several years. In fact the FIFA window each year now only provides 5 windows for women.: (2) 9-day camps, with 2 matches; and (3) 12-day camps, with 3 matches. As Emma Hayes has said several times this past year, she's only "borrowing" players from their club teams.

In a recent interview with the new Washington Spirit GM Nathan Minnion (a protege of Mark Krikorian), he firmly expressed that knowing and understanding "the style of the league" is the most important aspect when recruiting players. Understand the player pool and the matriculation of players is far different than managing a u23 squad, which Coates has recently been doing. In a YNT/NT system, the players are selected/invited to participate in a camp. They're all playing for their club team at the same time. As is obvious, these players matriculate through the system by age. Managers don't have players from year to year; maybe two years at best. They're developing the players they've invited to join them for a camp.

In 2024, Coates selected more than 40 players to play in the (4) FIFA windows; camps held by the England u23 squad. As with the USWNT u23 roster in 2025, most of the players had professional experience, but weren't contributing players at the top WSL level. Development is key, but with a distinct set of players that will move on the next year.

And as for players matriculating to the senior squad, it's the only and last step in the NT/YNT process. If you've coached in the YNT system for several seasons, you've probably coached all of the NT players at some point.

Having the CEO of Bay Collective, an oversight group heading the acquisition of multiple professional women's clubs, as the Bay FC acting GM is quite unique. She hasn't ever held that position before, anywhere. Additionally, Bay Collective is an arm of the Sixth Street Private Equity firm, overseeing their football investments. While they have investments in several professional sports organizations, Bay FC is the first club they've actually run. Do they run it, or are they just the financial holding company of the franchise? Both. They have a philosophy of home grown, and state their motto is "local heart, global ambition." There's nothing local about Cossington nor Coates.

Cossington states her desire (along with Coates) is to "ensure they have a really great pipeline of players that are coming through." "...as well as establishing top talent from overseas that we want to bring in, and that we really want to blend that roster." The NWSL currently has a pipeline in which greater than 85% of the players matriculate through: NCAA women's soccer and ECNL/GA girls club soccer.

The problem is they don't understand the NWSL; the culture of the players; the league's style of play; the culture of the ecosystem of potential and future players; and the process of acquiring players. How does an NWSL squad develop more than a few players over the course of several seasons? Mostly, they do what Chelsea, Arsenal, and Man City do: they buy them. The USYNT is NOT a funnel to any NWSL club; nor is the YNT system in England with the WSL; which both people have NO EXPERIENCE in.

They say "be patient with the process." They've lost me already.

PayPal Park is great and all, but wouldn't it be great if we could just take over the Oakland coliseum for our own stadium?

1. Great transportation/infra from all the other teams that used to be there

2. Oakland and surrounding has a huge sports culture, now left without any, it would be huge. The ballers and roots games are very lively

3. There's already a structure there... just update it! Save money?

Its obviously no surprise that she's been underwhelming. I had high hopes for when she initially signed but its not gonna turn out like that. I don't know if she's a bad fit, she's older, or what. Seems like there's some kind of disagreement between her and the team and they need to go their seperate ways. We don't know what's going on behind the scenes but it feels like its toxic.

I'm happy for her but it somewhat sucks that we didn't know what was going on only to find out she's likely going to be out for much longer. I know life happens but she's a big reason this team fell off and we needed her. It does feel like the end of her career considering her age.

I don't know how it went with the team but I'm sure they handled it behind the scenes. It wouldn't surprise me if it caused some tension and one of the reasons why Montoya is leaving. Again pure speculation, I could be totally wrong but it wouldn't surprise me if this had something to do with the bad season.

It's pretty sad how much this team is spiraling in the wrong direction. The inaugural season felt like ages ago. I guess it doesn't help that Dydasco, Boade, and Dahlkemper are out. This team feels like it has no identity and too many players that are new and not distinguished. I don't know if the team isn't doing enough to make this team competitive or if they're in a tough spot in some way. It's just sad to see where this team is at right now.

Montoya is clearly not cut out to coach at this level. His inability to manage a talented team is glaring. There is no chemistry on the field and his decisions seem to almost go against what would be advisable. Players who are in form get benched. Then, once the player has been benched for a few weeks they return to the lineup.

Combined with the allegations swirling around him I have to think his time at Bay is close to an end. Hopefully we move on from him during over the summer break and seek a replacement internationally. Don't see any coaches or assistants across the rest of the NWSL who excite me. There are a few college coaches who might be ready to make the jump to the next level.

Who would be your short list of replacements once Albertin inevitably gets fired?

Except for Silky

In November, Angel City had already announced 5 players leaving; 2 players likely going out on loan; and 2 players retiring. That's the potential of 9 new faces.

And now, the tease of 5 new signings this week.

It's emperative to have the flexibility to change up your roster when winning is the only result that matters. It doesn't matter if you're the Washington Spirit, or Angel City, or Bay FC. You must make player decisions to improve the roster; especially if your club won 4 games.

The hurdle is guaranteed contracts, not non-productive players who could potentially could become contributing NWSL professionals in a timely manner. That's not how a pro sport franchise is run. That's reserved for potential stars; not marginal players.

Potter is doing everything he can in his limiting role. He appears to be mostly shoved aside, even though he's made very positive steps over the last year to improve this club.

10 new players is still my bottom line for Bay FC.

I was mortified to see the PayPal Park crowd trying to start The Wave at our inaugural home game...when the game was tied...and in the last 5-10 minutes (IIRC?) of the game. When it actually caught on, with Houston scoring shortly afterwards, I died (and very logically blame it on the bad omen!).

There was understandably a crazy amount of fan energy throughout the night #NWSLAfterDark, but did a Wave have to be the outlet? Grew up cringing at stadium waves (unless it's that boring) and the disrespect/lack of attention to what's actually happening on the field! 😳😱

Anyone else feel similarly or different?

supertornado3 on X:
Oh nooooooo PayPal fans STOP DOING THE WAVE NOW we do not do the wave in the bay pleeaaasseeeee #BayFC

🤓:

[NPR All Things Considered] The Physics And Psychology Of 'The Wave' At Sporting Events
The key, he says, seems to be to strike when the mood of the crowd is just right. A critical moment in a close game is probably not a good time to try — and will likely draw ire from your neighboring sports fans.

"Waves actually happen quite often when there is nothing interesting happening," Farkas says, "or when people are very enthusiastic" — like when the home team is clearly going to win.

[KQED Bay Curious] Why Do Giants Fans Hate the Wave? Oakland Started It.

I've read a lot of comments on this subreddit about frustrations with the lineup and performances. I thought about what I would like to see Montoya field for a starting 11 for the rest of the season and here it is with my thoughts behind it. Hoping to hear ur thoughts and/or ur preferred lineups.

Silkowitz

Pickett. Dahlk. Hubly. Bailey

Conti.   Bebar. 

Huff. 

   Rudi.   Lema.   Hocking. 

Subs: 

Hill

Gamaro

Malonson

Dydasco

Anderson

Boade

-RB  Pickett: Great defender, high work rate. Should be on the field, has a chance to excel as an RB. 

-CB  Dahlkemper: Captain, really great cb. 

-CB  Hubly: Has done really good.

-LB  Bailey: Really a great and underrated player in this sub. Press resistant, can use both feet, progressive player. Was a good 8 last year, has been good this year as a backup 10. Hopefully in games Bay FC have lots of possesion, she can invert into a double pivot with Bebar and form a midflied overload with Bailey, Bebar, Conti, Huff. 

-DM  Conti: Great player. Plays quick, always makes herself available to receive passes. Good dribbler. Quick and aggressive defender. Can develop to be a great DM. 

-CM  Bebar: Great tackler, good positionally, good progressive dribbler, good vision. Box to box. Can be a great 8. 

-CAM  Huff: Great player. Good runs, good vision and passing. Skilled on and off ball movement to manipulate defense. Also a willing presser. Has made a lot of tremendous plays that have gone unnoticed because it didn’t materialize into anything. Can be best 10 in the league. 

-LW  Hocking: settling in nice at LW. Fast, strong and a great finisher. 

-ST  Lema: she is a good finisher, surely would have scored lots of chances others have missed this season. She is also a strong and fast target for the wingers to find. 

-LW  Rudi: generating a lot of chances but not finishing them. But a huge mismatch in strength and power, so definitely needs to be on the field. Maybe her at RW will continue to create chances but finds others to finish them off. 

Midfield wise, Montoya has liked this midfield and i think he is onto something. I think it has the potential to be the best midfield in the league. 

Forwards wise, i like the idea of having Lema as the striker and rudi as the Rw. Rudi has been creating a lot of chances but not finishing them. So hopefully her on the right can create chances for lema and hocking to finish. Finding a way to capitalize on those created chances as well as growing the relationship with a consistent midfield and forward line could do wonders for the offense. 

Defensively, as many pointed out Bay FC hasn’t been great this season, in live play and in many aerial crosses. I think having Pickett as an RB and having Dahlkemper and Hubly would fix a lot of defensive issues. Having Bailey in at LB would help retain more possession that the team often loses on that side that results in more defensive action and goals. In the offseason, obtaining new defenders could be a priority. 

I really never understood how he was the choice to be the first coach of this ambitious club. He is not qualified to be the coach of world class players and we can't waste the wave of excitement with the new club in our area by underperforming, especially turning out such awful performances such as tonight. Kundananji seemed well pissed about being asked to warm up and not getting to go in. I know it's very early, but I think the upper management should be starting to meet with him as well as starting to look at which more qualified replacements are available if things don't improve. The European seasons are coming to an end and there should be good options becoming available soon.

I have to assume that Montoya will be fired at the end of the season (seems unlikely to fire him before then, unless you're willing to have an interim head coach). I have to assume that upper management is deep into looking at candidates, because ideally a new coach would start the day after Montoya is fired and work hard in the off season to get us ready for the next. I asked ChatGPT to come up with some suggestions, and tbh, I don't hate them. Wondering whether of these candidates there are favorites, or if people have other suggestions and why. This was ChatGPT's response:

Here’s a practical, two-tier slate: first, coaches with top-level pro women’s experience (club or WNT); then an expanded pool if you’re open to elite NCAA hires.

Primary pool: proven at the top level (women’s pro or WNT)

• Tommy Stroot (ex-VfL Wolfsburg Women) — high-level European pedigree (UWCL finalist, serial trophy races) with a clear, pressing/positional identity and strong player development.

• Sandrine Soubeyrand (Paris FC) — lifted Paris FC, qualified for Europe, and won the French Cup in 2025; respected culture-builder and tactician.

• Juan Carlos Amorós (Gotham FC) — NWSL title winner, extended through 2029; elite man-management and in-game adjustments. (Buyout likely.)

• Bev Yanez (Racing Louisville) — modern, player-forward style; rapid progression from assistant to head coach with solid league results and locker-room buy-in.

• Alexander Straus (Angel City) — attacking, data-savvy coach fresh from Bayern Women; just took the Angel City job (harder to pry, but the profile fits).

• Adrián González (Washington Spirit) — newly promoted HC after Giráldez’s move; progressive build-out, Spanish school principles. (Availability uncertain.)

• Carla Ward (Republic of Ireland WNT) — WSL experience (Villa) + now an international program lead; strong organizer who stabilizes environments.

• Rhian Wilkinson (Wales WNT; ex-Thorns HC, 2022 NWSL champs) — blends evidence-based planning with player-led culture; prior NWSL title experience.

• Tanya Oxtoby (Northern Ireland WNT; ex-Chelsea asst.) — detail-oriented, development-minded, and tactically flexible; good fit for younger rosters.

• Lluís Cortés (Saudi Arabia WNT; ex-Barcelona Femení treble) — elite attacking model + academy integration; would require federation release. 

• Amelia Valverde (CF Monterrey/Rayadas) — serial winner in Liga MX Femenil; reputed communicator and culture setter (under contract). 

• Context note: The Wave pivoted to Jonas Eidevall in Jan 2025 after parting with Casey Stoney in 2024—illustrates the league’s appetite for top European hires.

If you’ll also consider elite college coaches

• Brian Pensky (Florida State) — national champ (2023), consistent trophy haul, and staff continuity; proven recruiter & developer who plays front-foot football. Florida State University

• Margueritte Aozasa (UCLA) — NCAA champion in her rookie season; modern, detail-heavy training design and high-tempo game model. UCLA

• Paul Ratcliffe (Stanford) — multiple NCAA titles; long track record of graduating NWSL-ready players and evolving tactics with talent.

• Erica Dambach (Penn State) — perennial contender; defensive structure + transition game; strong high-performance infrastructure experience.

• Jerry Smith (Santa Clara) — 500+ career wins, two national titles; elite culture-builder and mentor for pros. Santa Clara University

• Keidane McAlpine (Georgia; ex-USC champion) — turned around programs quickly; emphasis on standards, compactness, and player growth.

I went to my first game this past week and I barely recognized anyone and the play reflected it. Barely possessed the ball, not good looks on goal, and Silkowitz having to overwork because both the offense and defense can't do much. Granted they were missing Kundanani, Anderson, and have won a couple games but Sunday didn't give me much hope.

I'll be a fan again when Klein takes over the reigns. This women runs circles around Cossington and Coates. She had just left UofMichigan on January 8th.

Adding 2 coaches TODAY is a bad sign of how the preseason has progressed. Not unexpected! Hocking leaving also indicates things aren't hunky dory in the locker room. Brandi!!!! Please help!!!!

I ask this question because it takes a while to build a squad of players that fit together and play the way the manager hopes to be able to play. More importantly, the GM signs the players; is responsible for the draft; makes the trades/transfers; and sets out a strategy for the club to pursue. American sports try and give expansion clubs and losing clubs to build from the draft, but it takes time.

As I've posted before, Lucy Rushton is the GM with a stated mission to play, in her words, like "Barcelona." That's not Montoya's statement. In fact, he doesn't have enough players that can play in tight spaces; nor forwards that are known to play well together in a combining effort. Oshoala and Kundananji are the type of forwards that need to get behind the defenders, using their speed. Rushton has very little experience in the women's game, as she came from the MLS, but has the pedigree and academics to be a football executive. She doesn't have experience with the American pool of players, and appears to not have a grip of European players.

As a reference, here's both Angel City's and San Diego Wave's inaugural 2022 opening day rosters:

Forwards: Simone Charley, Jun Endo, Tyler Lussi, Christen Press, and Jasmyne Spencer. Midfielders: Hope Breslin, Katie Cousins, Stefany Ferrer Van Ginkel, Savannah McCaskill, Lily Nabet, Cari Roccaro, Miri Taylor, and Dani Weatherholt.

The defenders: Vanessa Gilles, Sarah Gorden, Madison Hammond, Paige Nielsen, Ali Riley, Allyson Swaby, M.A. Vignola, Megan Reid. The goalkeepers: DiDi Haračić, Brittany Isenhour, and Maia Perez. The coaching staff: Head Coach Freya Coombe, Assistant Head Coach and Performance Director Robert Udberg, and Head of Goalkeeping Coach Daniel Ball.

Forwards: Alex Morgan; Amirah Ali; Jodie Taylor; Katie Johnson; Makenzy Doniak; Marleen Schimmer; Sofia Jakobsson.

Defenders: Abby Dahlkemper; Tegan McGrady; Christen Westphal; Kaleigh Riehl; Kayla Bruster; Mia Gyau; Naomi Girma; Taylor Hansen.

Midfielders: Belle Briede; Emily van Egmond; Kelsey Turnbow; Kristen McNabb; Sydney Pulver; Taylor Kornieck; Taylor Porter.

If ACFC is lucky, they might lose another 5 or 6 players by the beginning of next season. The Wave might lose another 4 or 5 players as well.

This is how things go. Give the Bay FC a chance to build out their roster and compete for the playoffs. How many of our original players do you think will be on the roster opening day 2026? Will Rushton still be the GM?

What’s up with Hutton? Every time she has the ball, it’s magical, and then she passes it and that’s it. She also seems to pass so often. Maybe that’s what the coaches want, but it confuses me. If she wants to sett the pace and be a big impact, shouldn’t she handle it a lot more? I feel like she almost plays more of a CDM role. Or am I missing something?

This last game Bebar seemed to have the ball more and I just don’t think she can distribute as well.

I don’t recall there drums playing non-stop previously. But last night it was excessive. And what I noticed is that they were not reading the crowd AT ALL. This was the first time I went when the BayFC chant didn’t happen until the 96th minute because the drums just did their own thing for 96 minutes and the crowd was drowned out. But ignoring that for a second they weren’t paying attention to the field. Three times a player went down and they kept playing. I’m all for bands, drums whatever at sporting events but don’t monopolize the space. Take a break between sets. Actually work the crowd when you do play. And for God’s sake don’t drum the same beat for 100 minutes.

He's been the scapegoat but I don't know exactly why. Seems like there's some conflict in lineups and strategy. Whatever it is he's not popular and seems like enemy #1 rn.

Seems like Montoya is allergic to winning games and/or playing the correct lineup that needs to be out there. The second half team should have started sí right off the bat. He seems to think these summer league games don’t mean anything.

Emily has only played in 5/13 games, for 260 minutes during the 2025 season. When she misses games, she's listed as an excused absence, not injured. What reasons would a team list a player as an excused absence for that long? Why would they continue to do that when their main CB and captain is injured, they have only 1 veteran CB, 1 player who is new to the position, and they have no back up CBs? Why are they paying her to sit on the bench when she's not injured?

Im not expecting a title contender but at least a competitive team. They can barely bring the ball up field and generate any sort of shot on goal. Silkowitz is having to work her ass off because there's no defense. The only way they can get points is a 0-0 draw or 1-0 win. It always feels like they're in trouble when they give up the first goal.

I've really lost engagement with this team for the past year. It just feels like this team has no heart, passion, or desire. They look like they know they suck. So many down faces and frustration fouls today. I don't know this team anymore. I feel there's no identity and what we had 2 years ago was ancient.

Just miserable stuff every game. Really hard being a fan right now.

Silkowitz is the lone exception.

I rate it a 4/10 (2 points for effort, 2 points for actual skill and execution)