Sky Bet Championship: Malky Mackay returns to management with Wigan Athletic
Thursday 20 November 2014 07:58, UK
Former Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay has returned to football as Wigan manager on a rolling contract.
The 42-year-old was embroiled in controversy earlier this year after details of offensive text messages between Mackay and Cardiff's former head of recruitment Iain Moody were released into the public domain.
Mackay, who left Cardiff in December last year, admitted the messages were "disrespectful of other cultures" with sexist, racist and anti-semitic comments among the material to be published.
In a statement Wigan chairman Dave Whelan said: "I know that this appointment will draw criticism in some quarters but we go into it with our eyes open and we have nothing to hide on this subject.
I know that this appointment will draw criticism in some quarters but we go into it with our eyes open and we have nothing to hide on this subject.
“Malky made a mistake, he knows that, we know that and we have discussed this issue at length face to face.
"He apologised publicly for what happened at the time and has paid for what he did in terms of the bad publicity he has received since and will no doubt continue to suffer in the future.
"But I believe that it is now time to move on. Contrary to the way he has been portrayed in recent months, the Malky Mackay I met this week, and who has been vouched for by the many different people from whom we have sought advice before making this appointment, is an honourable man.
“He is a committed family man with decent values and is a professional who has worked and thrived for over 20 years in the multi-cultural world of modern football. There is nothing more to say about this subject, and as far as I am concerned we draw a line under it from today.“
Wigan are in the relegation zone after a poor start to the season under former boss Uwe Rosler, who was dismissed last Thursday.
Mackay, who began his managerial career at Watford, has previously taken Cardiff into the Premier League and Whelan said he expected him to repeat the trick at the DW Stadium.
“He is the man to lead us back into the Premier League, I am convinced of that having met him and discussed the demands of the job ahead of him," added Whelan.
"He has led a team out of the Championship before and he knows this league inside out having played and managed in it. His achievements at Cardiff City were magnificent and we need a strong leader who will command the respect of a very experienced and talented dressing room, and he is the man to do it.
Delighted
"I am delighted we have secured the services of someone who has so much to give to the game.“
The former Celtic, Norwich, Watford and West Ham centre-back also took Cardiff to the 2012 League Cup final, where they lost to Liverpool on penalties.
Mackay had been thought to be a front-runner for the Crystal Palace job earlier this year, before the text message controversy cost him any chance of the position after a huge outcry over the content of the messages. Moody resigned from his position at Selhurst Park in the wake of the revelations.
I want success for the football club and I’m going to do everything in my power and my focus as a football manager to do that and to give him that.
The Football Association confirmed it was looking into the issue, although it has yet to charge either Mackay or Moody with any offence.
Mackay's first match in charge of Wigan will be against Middlesbrough at the DW Stadium on Saturday.
And Mackay is determined to pay back the faith Whelan has shown in appointing him as manager.
Mackay said: “I’m very proud that the chairman, Mr Whelan has given me the opportunity to come and manage his football club. It’s
