Malky Mackay set to be unveiled as Scotland's new performance director
Wednesday 14 December 2016 16:30, UK
The Scottish Football Association is expected to confirm Malky Mackay as its new performance director in the next 24 hours, according to Sky sources.
The former Watford, Cardiff City and Wigan manager will take over the role from Brian McClair, who stepped down in July after 18 months at Hampden Park.
Mackay was the subject of a Football Association investigation in 2014 concerning text messages he had sent while manager of Cardiff containing discriminatory language. The FA did not charge Mackay, who admitted the content of the messages was "disrespectful of other cultures" and he apologised for his actions.
Mackay has been out of football since he was sacked by Wigan in April 2015. During his six months with the club they won five games out of 24 played in the Championship and were relegated one month later.
He enjoyed a much more successful spell with Cardiff where he guided them to the League Cup final in 2012 - where they lost to Liverpool on penalties - before he took the Welsh club to the Premier League as Championship winners in 2013.
Mackay, who played as a defender, began his 18-year playing career with Queen's Park before spending five years with Celtic.
He joined Norwich City in 1998, making over 200 appearances in six seasons, and enjoyed a brief spell at West Ham before ending his playing career with Watford in 2008; he succeeded Brendan Rodgers as manager at Vicarage Road one year later.
Mackay's appointment has been backed by Rangers manager Mark Warburton, who was assistant academy director at Vicarage Road when the former Celtic and West Ham defender was in charge of Watford.
"I know Malky very well. He's a football man through and through," he said. "I've read some shocking statements about Malky and I get very disappointed when I see people copying and pasting articles from three-and-a-half years ago. I think that's lazy journalism.
"But I do know Malky's integrity, I know he's an honest football person. I've watched him work with young players and old players and he's a first-class football man.
"He's very knowledgeable, very articulate. He's good on the grass, good in the boardroom. He's a very smart guy and I know he'll do a great job for the SFA."
