Following a review in September 2018, the FA announced the amalgamation of the U23s and U20s squads to reform an Under-21s age group, which would become the top tier of the nation's new professional development phase. The move would align England's structure to that used in other European countries to allow for more age-appropriate games and better manage individual player development post-U20 World Cup for those who have genuine senior team potential. The FA's head of women's development Kay Cossington and senior team manager Phil Neville stressed the move as an important part of the wider, long-term plan prior to the following summer's World Cup. The then U20s manager Mo Marley was announced as the team's first head coach.