Speculation linking Malky Mackay with the vacant managerial position at Wigan Athletic has prompted the town’s MP to write to the club expressing her disapproval.
Lisa Nandy claims to have been contacted by a number of constituents urging her to oppose any such appointment, and the local newspaper has also had letters from fans indicating they would no longer attend matches were Mackay to be put in charge. The former Cardiff City manager has been out of work since being sacked by Vincent Tan a year ago and is finding it hard to get back into football following revelations made by his former employer.
A Premier League job at Crystal Palace fell through in August on publication of a series of private text messages in a dossier compiled by Cardiff, some of which were sexist, racist and homophobic. “A football manager has a crucial position in the community and is a role model, especially for young people,” Tandy wrote in her letter to the Wigan chairman, Dave Whelan. “I understand that no decision has been made at this time, but I am sure Wigan Athletic would not appoint anyone without ensuring first that they have respect for other people regardless of gender, sexuality, ethnicity or religion.
“Whoever is appointed will be an ambassador for the town, and based on the work your club has done to tackle discrimination over the years, I am confident you would seek to ensure that they share these values.”
Wigan have been guarded in their comments regarding the identity of the manager they would like to replace Uwe Rösler, sacked on Thursday after picking up only three league wins from 17 games. Bookmakers and press reports quickly installed Mackay as a front-runner due to his availability, but the club have never suggested he was on a shortlist.
Wigan insist no one has yet been approached. “Since the decision on Uwe’s future we have not discussed any individual or drawn up a shortlist never mind contacted any potential candidates or their agents,” the chief executive, Jonathan Jackson, said. “So I can categorically deny that any one candidate is ahead of another.
“All I would say is that we will take as long as is necessary to find the right manager. It is important that we appoint the right candidate for the long term and someone who fits in with the ethos of our football club.”
The assistant coach, Graham Barrow, has been put in charge of the first team and will supervise Wigan’s trip to Middlesbrough for the next league game on 22 November if a permanent manager has not been appointed by then.
Although a Premier League team as recently as the season before last, and unlikely FA Cup winners in 2013, the Wigan job is not quite as attractive as it once was with the team now in the bottom three of the Championship.
Whelan was initially reluctant to part with Rösler, who received his chairman’s backing at the start of the international break, but Bolton’s mini-revival under Neil Lennon may have played a part in his change of heart.
Not only did Lennon illustrate how quickly a new manager can bring about a change in fortunes, but Bolton climbed out of the bottom three at Wigan’s expense. “We didn’t show enough fight and determination to beat Bolton,” Whelan said. “It was a difficult decision because I still rate Uwe as a manager, but we don’t want to drop another division.”
