Dave, the hole is big enough now...

He said: "I would never, ever insult a Jewish person. I have got hundreds and hundreds of Jewish friends. I would never upset a Jewish person I would never upset them because I hold them in the highest regard.
"If anyone takes offence to anything I have said, please accept my sincere apology. It's either a misquote or on that day I must have done 50 interviews.
"You can imagine how many times I've been on because of this case. I did not mean to insult any single person.
"The Chinese community - again, I've got loads of Chinese friends. I would never insult the Chinese. I know Malky Mackay insulted them and they take that name seriously. I understand their point of view completely. He apologised to them and I hope they accept that.
"I apologise on my behalf and on behalf of the club. We do not ever want to insult any nation or any person in the world."
The comments come three years after Whelan attracted controversy for saying black players had "just got to get on with it" after being asked about on-field racism during a radio interview.

I know, he really should stop digging.

Trouble is he is from a generation where racism was the norm whereas Mackay was not.  However Malky doesn't strike me as an intelligent person which isn't an excuse but it is maybe a reason for his so called "banter" texts.

Sounds like it will be a match made in Heaven with this pair though.

However, and this is my opinion, not a generalisation about Wigan, all this will be simply ignored it if it gets them back to the top.

I agree BB. Whatever the right and wrongs, Whelan is just thinking with his pockets and keeping the club in the championship to start with and then looking for promotion. Just shows how low people will go when chasing money.

I think the media is just stirring the pot.  Frankly I think Tan is tit, and has decided to smear Whelan with the same tar brush as McKay.  It's still a democracy over there right?

It doesn't matter if Tan is a tit or not Wensdi. Mackay has made some horrible comments. Whelan has decided to hire him despite these comments and despite Mackay being under investigation from the FA. As one commentator put it, would Dave Whelan hire someone to manage one of his shops if he was under some sort of investigation? You bet your life he wouldn't.

If Whelan did not consider Mackay’s text transgressions while at Cardiff to be all that outrageous, his best policy would have been to keep quiet on the subject and refer politely to the FA’s ongoing investigation. But not only did Whelan believe the fuss over his new manager’s racist, sexist and homophobic reputation to be overblown and undeserved; he could not resist saying so. “What he’s done is tiny really in real terms,” he unwisely told the BBC on the night of Mackay’s appointment. “Malky has been so unlucky, he has only done a little bit wrong.”

Some of what Malkay said and did:

On a South Korean footballer: ‘*** chinkys. ** it. There’s enough dogs in Cardiff for us all to go around.’
On the football agent Phil Smith: ‘Go on, fat Phil. Nothing like a Jew that sees money slipping through his fingers.’
On a football official: ‘He’s a snake, a gay snake. Not to be trusted.’
On a female agent: ‘I hope she’s looking after your needs. I bet you’d love a bounce on her falsies.’
All this, plus the distribution of a picture entitled ‘Black Monopoly’, with every square marked ‘Go To Jail’.

Whelan smeared himself Wensdi. He repeated some of the offensive remarks and said they were nothing. If they were nothing, then why did he have to apologise soon afterwards?


Dave Whelan's been to Barbados. How could he possibly be racist?

That was the content of MacKay's text I suppose Dawg?  I was referring only to Whelan's open mouth insert foot that the media has jumped on.  Whatever MacKay sent via text was not meant for the general public was it.  Corporate phone or not. 

I think what John Terry and Louis Suarez blatently said on the pitch is far more offensive and despicable than what Whelan mumbled and fumbled about regarding his new manager.  He's probably hoping that McKay will resurrect his squad and hope he's learned from his mistakes.

Everyone is guilty of some sort offhand remark or joke in bad taste at some point - even though we have no tolerance for homophobic, sexist or racial discrimination.

I suppose Whelan apologized for anything he said that obviously offended some - just as Blatter apologized when he said that in regard to racism - the guys should just shake hands and move on.  Did he mention that he broke his leg once?  LOL

So it's ok to be homophobic, sexist, racist, anti semitic so long as it's done in private? Forget the mumblings of an old man, like the elderly have a ready made excuse? He repeated what Mackay said and said it was nothing. He's got hundreds abd hundreds of Chinese friends so he can't possibly be racist. I'm nit bothered about the media,  it's what I think

It's the first time I've read anything of what's been said over this incident...nothing surprises me in football these days.

However, I take it Makay hasn't been found guilty of anything as of yet?
If so, then he should be free to take gainful employment wherever he wants and by whomever.
It's what you were intimating about Ched Evans Dawg...

Personally, I don't think it's right or proper by either party...Makay should be taken to task for it if found guilty and Whelan should be very careful of associating with/defending these people.

But as I said, it's football....nothing surprises any more.

Whelan's a dick and so is Mackay....they're a perfect match.

But on the flip side Vincent Tan is a complete Dick too, so they are all a bunch of dicks, some are racist and homophobic dicks and some are just dicks.

But as everybody says, nothing surprises me about football any-more.

blisteringblue wrote:But on the flip side Vincent Tan is a complete Dick too, so they are all a bunch of dicks, some are racist and homophobic dicks and some are just dicks.

Ched has done his time so should be allowed to carry on playing.  Even though Malkay hasn't been 'convicted' he's admitting to having sent those messages. Whelan wasn't misquoted, it was on the news!

Dawg - I wasn't saying it's okay to be sexist, homophobic or racist.  I don't think you understand my point.  I have not really commented on MacKay - just Wheelen who I see as more ignorant than racist.  I think too many people over react to comments made from ignorance - rather than what they really are.  My mum was Jewish and so is my husband- and I'm not offended by Dave Wheelan's comments.

It's not about picking the offensive remark that is closest to you and then deciding if it is really bad or not and ignoring the rest. We aren't rating the comments but there are far worse comments than those directed at Jews. Whelan basically dismissed them all as not much. Ignorance is no exemption of appropriate punishment.

They are both ignorant for their reported remarks and at least one of them is stupid for being caught spouting it when interviewed. We all sometimes have said something privately that we would never have said in public or in front of women or young children. However, everyone is entitled to their opinion or view on something even if it is racist,homophobic or otherwise offensive to others. It is a criminal offence to incite racial,homophobic or ant-simitic hatred with such remarks which i dont believe was their intention, it is just ignorance.
The point is, many others may find them offensive whcih is why you should keep them to yourself, Whelan stupidly didn't and of course the morals police jumped all over him. MacKay i have a little more sympathy for because i understand he made his reported remarks, however distasteful, in private messages, as i said, its a free country and what 2 adults discuss in private is their business.
How many guys have whispered to a male friend "look at the knockers/ass on her, wouldn't mind giving her one, or words to that effect? I'm sure some women have whispered the female equvivalent to each other.That is sexist and at the very least,if said out loud or within earshot of the person, would be regarded as sexual harassment not to mention potentially extremely rude and offensive. I am also certain that most people have shared a joke involving an Irish, Paki or gay person or heard one and laughed even if a little guiltily.
I dont like what MacKay said but i defend his right to say what he likes in private messages, or what he thought were private. We do not live in a police state yet and unless he said these things in public he has committed no criminal offence no matter how distasteful or ignorant.
Should he be sacked for it and prevented form working as a manager at any other football club? That is a tricky decision that individual clubs have to make themselves, if the fans or the sponsors of that club dont like it then they can vote with their feet and their money. If it was my club then i would rather not have the name of the club tarnished by association with such an individual.
Whelan is from a bygone generation that grew up thinking it was acceptable to label ethnic people with the names that have been mentioned. Today's generation know better, although some are still nasty racists. This does not excuse what Whelan said or did, rather it shows that he is not too bright and should have kept his mouth shut.
The point is if we keep any thoughts and comments that may cause offence to others to ourselves then however wrong, inappropriate or offensive they may be, no offence is caused. Whelan, like so many others of his generation, is so ignorant that he does not realise that these things can no longer be tolerated as they were 40 years ago.

Apologies for the rant.

The one part of this I'm having the most trouble with is the length of time it's taking the FA to investigate.  For me, it's an open and shut case:  The texts have been traced to Mackay and he's apologised for them - which is tantamount to an admission of guilt - so why is it taking so long?  There's nothing to investigate and he's as good as confessed, so surely taking a year to reach a decision is ridiculous.

Leo - probably because they were personal texts and not overt  a la John Terry or said to the media.  MCM - some good points - you only have to read the "Football Jokes" on  the sticky on here to see that there are some sexist and homophobic jokes - which are not meant to offend anyone.  I won't mention the Chive - and the comments on there - but they are still objectifying women - a form of sexism under the definition of "sexism."

Just sayin... - I am not bothered one way or the other - not a complaint.

I've said a few things when I was a kid and didn't know any better. Now I'm older and a little wiser, I don't say them. I don't even think them because I know better and understand better now. Dave Whelan has had many years to change his behaviour, if not his thoughts.

Wensdi wrote:Leo - probably because they were personal texts and not overt  a la John Terry or said to the media.  MCM - some good points - you only have to read the "Football Jokes" on  the sticky on here to see that there are some sexist and homophobic jokes - which are not meant to offend anyone.  I won't mention the Chive - and the comments on there - but they are still objectifying women - a form of sexism under the definition of "sexism."

Just sayin... - I am not bothered one way or the other - not a complaint.

Careful now....The Chive, as The Thrills Mod, is a legitimate thread which gives plenty of warnings.

I could post a separate thread for you Wensdi if you want me to be super-PC? Check out the below, just for yours eyes only as you've obviously checked out The Chive!

http://thechive.com/?s=men+chivers

Happy to add a Women Only Chive Section to ensure partiality.