MALKY Mackay, who was yesterday unveiled as the new SFA Performance Director, last night expressed confidence he will be exonerated by an investigation into his transfer dealings during his time as manager of Cardiff City.
Cardiff are pursuing a £10 million damages claim against Mackay and four other men – including the former Aberdeen defender turned agent John Inglis - over the signing of two players back in 2013.
City have alleged that Mackay, their former director of football Iain Moody and agents Inglis, David Manasseh and Rob Segal conspired to defraud the club during Steven Caulker’s £8.5 million move from Tottenham and Peter Odenwingie’s £2.5 million switch from West Bromwich Albion.
The revelation that Mackay, who admitted sending text messages which were disrespectful to other cultures when he was in charge of Cardiff, had been accused of financial wrongdoing yesterday cast a further shadow over his already controversial appointment.
Read more: Contrite Malky Mackay hoping key SFA role will be the latest step in his ongoing rehabilitation
SNP MSP Clare Haughey, the deputy convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee, had earlier this week stated that it sent “a particularly terrible message” to young footballers in this country.
However, Mackay, the former Celtic, Norwich City, West Ham, Watford and Scotland defender, insisted there was not a “shred of evidence” of any impropriety and insisted he would be found innocent of any misconduct.
The 44-year-old revealed that he had informed the SFA of the ongoing legal action against him during the interview process.
"I was waiting on it,” he said. “It was something that I had spoken to Stewart (SFA chief executive Regan) about and something my legal advisers had advised the SFA about at an early stage.
"I categorically deny that I have done anything wrong there and there is no shred of evidence against me, but I do respect the legal process."
Read more: Contrite Malky Mackay hoping key SFA role will be the latest step in his ongoing rehabilitation
Mackay’s hopes of being made Crystal Palace manager two years ago ended after Cardiff sent a dossier on him to the Football Association alleging that he had sent texts and emails of a homophobic, racist and sexist nature.
The FA announced last year that it would not be charging Mackay, who publicly apologised for sending two offensive text messages and has voluntarily undergone diversity and equality training, and Moody following an investigation.
“I can only do what I did in terms of going to try and re-educate myself,” said Mackay. “People who know me, and that’s a lot of people within and outwith football, don’t need to be convinced.
“I will say to all stakeholders - business people, kids, MSPs, reporters, whoever it may be – that my door is always open. People can make their judgment on me.
“If people come and sit in front of you and talk to you for half an hour or an hour they go away and they can make a more reasoned judgment.
“It’s a more balanced view as opposed to just deciding to come out and say something without actually knowing the background and depth and detail.”
Read more: Contrite Malky Mackay hoping key SFA role will be the latest step in his ongoing rehabilitation
Meanwhile, Regan denied that Austin MacPhee, who last week accepted an offer to become Ian Cathro’s assistant manager at Hearts, had been the SFA’s first choice candidate to succeed Brian McClair as performance director.
“Malky was a standout candidate at the beginning of the process and he was the standout candidate at the end of the process,” he said. “Austin McPhee was included in the process, but Austin McPhee withdrew. He had a job offer and he decided to take it.”
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