Dave Whelan doing his best Prince Andrew impression

[Fighting Weight]

The controversy has erupted following Whelan’s decision to appoint Malky Mackay as Wigan manager, despite the fact Mackay’s conduct during his time at Cardiff is the subject of an ongoing FA investigation.

 

The investigation concerns allegedly offensive text messages sent by Mackay, one of which referred to Jewish football agent Phil Smith and  appeared to imply that a Jewish person would be more perturbed at losing money than non-Jews.

 

Whelan attempted to play down the remarks to The Guardian, saying: “I think Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else. I don't think that's offensive at all.”

 

"If anybody takes offence at anything I have said, please accept my sincere apology. It is either a misquote or, on that day, I must have done 50 interviews."

Dave Whelan

However, his comments were strongly criticised by the Jewish Leadership Council and he has now issued an apology.

Asked about The Guardian interview by Sky Sports, Whelan said: “I have not read what it said but I have been told what it said.

“Number one, I would never, ever insult a Jewish person. I have got hundreds and hundreds of Jewish friends. I would never, ever upset any Jewish person, because I hold them in the highest regard.

“If anybody takes offence at anything I have said, please accept my sincere apology. It is either a misquote or, on that day, I must have done 50 interviews.

“You can imagine how many times I have been on radio, television etc because of this case.

“I did not mean to insult any single person but please accept my sincere apology if they feel that way. It was not intended.”

Remorse

Whelan was also remorseful about comments he made in the same Guardian interview which suggested that another term used by Mackay, which is generally considered offensive by Chinese people, was “nothing bad”.

Whelan said: “The Chinese community, again, I have got loads of Chinese friends. I would never, ever insult the Chinese. I know Malky Mackay insulted them.

 

Mackay named Wigan boss

“He apologised to them and I hope they accept that. I apologise to them 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 anti-racism group Kick It Out think Whelan’s remarks in The Guardian place his position in doubt.

The group released a statement which read: “He has brought into question whether he is a fit and proper person who should be running a professional football club.

“These comments must not go unchallenged and have to be investigated by the FA.”

Whelan responded: “I take those comments, actually, with a pinch of salt. If they think I am not a fit and proper person to run a football club, I would strongly object to that.

“I played football for 15 years, in all four divisions, I have played on probably every ground in England.

“I have had massive experience in football. I have brought Wigan Athletic from the fourth division to the Premier League, and two years ago we won the FA Cup.

“So I cannot accept that people think I would insult them, insult football in any way, shape or form. I love football passionately and I love Wigan Athletic passionately.

“I fight to get Wigan to do well. Our reputation, I don’t want it tarnished. We are a very happy, honest club.”

 

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 Even actual jews don't have hundreds and hundreds of Jewish friends 

 

Also said the chink thing was coo

 

What an old melon, he's like that embarrassing behind-the-times family member

[Rsonist]

https://vine.co/v/OJd0Th0t0DV

[The Infamous]

Dave has zero chill

Legendary back peddle we have just witnessed. Man said hundreds and hundreds of jewish friend

[Badman]

Dave has zero chill

Legendary back peddle we have just witnessed. Man said hundreds and hundreds of jewish friend

 

Please dont do this 

[The Infamous]

Dave has zero chill

Legendary back peddle we have just witnessed. Man said hundreds and hundreds of jewish friend

Please dont do this

nah but seriously Dave is always talking out of pocket

[Heero Yuy]

Whelan has quotables for days, I remember when he said black players should just get on with it when it comes to racism, doesn't have a spare fuck to give ever.

 

I would crease if The Ched Evans rumours to Wigan are true.

 

Can just imagine the bars he'd deliver at a press conference, platinum material. 

[Rsonist]

Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan has accused Wigan counterpart Dave Whelan of being "a racist".

The Malaysian businessman criticised Whelan for using derogatory comments about Jews and the word "chink" in an interview with a national newspaper.

Whelan has denied being racist, but Tan said: "I think he insulted the dignity of all Jewish people. I think he insulted the dignity of Chinese."

Tan also hit out at former Cardiff manager Malky Mackay.The Scot was appointed as Wigan boss this week but is still under investigation by the Football Association following allegations he made racist, sexist and homophobic commentsin text messages and emails sent while he was in charge of Cardiff.Mackay has apologised and denied being racist, but Tan, who sacked the 42-year-old last year amid acrimonious circumstances, thinks the decision to make him Wigan manager is a mistake.

"This is a racist chairman hiring a racist manager," Tan told BBC Sport's David Ornstein. "I hope that stops at two racists in Wigan, not snowballing to 2,000 or 20,000 racists in Wigan."Both Whelan and Mackay have refused to respond to Tan's comments.

But Whelan has apologised for remarks he made in an interview with The Guardian, although he has insisted he was misquoted and did not intend any racial slight.The newspaper reported that the 77-year-old used the word "chink" and also said that "Jewish people chase money more than everybody else"."If I have upset one person, I apologise," said Whelan."All I was trying to say was that Jewish people are very similar to the English people in the desire to work hard and get money. I didn't think I did anything wrong in that."

Steve Bruce, the Hull City manager who twice worked under Whelan at Wigan, has also defended his former employer."I know him very, very well," said Bruce.

"There's no racism in him at all.Wigan owner Dave Whelan sorry for offensive comments"Sometimes words can be said which can be misplaced, they can be out there in the public domain, but certainly when I've worked with him there's been no sign of racism."Jewish Leadership Council chief executive Simon Johnson, a former FA and Premier League executive, says Whelan should withdraw his comments."For somebody in a leadership position in football, like Dave Whelan, to make such comments that effectively re-ignite a very old, revolting racial stereotype is offensive not just to Jewish people but to anybody who wants to see racism kicked out of football completely," he told BBC Sport."I have no doubt that he did not intend to be offensive. The problem is that he was."

The FA issued a statement on Friday saying it had opened an investigation into Whelan's comments."The FA is very concerned to read about the comments that have been attributed to Dave Whelan," it read."We take all forms of discrimination seriously. As with all such cases, this will be dealt with as a priority."

The investigation is already under way and The FA's Governance Division have written to Mr Whelan. He has three working days to respond."Anti-racism campaigner Kick It Out has already questioned whether Whelan is a "fit and proper person" to run a football club.Tan agrees with Kick It Out."Age doesn't matter in this," he said. "The fact is he's a leader of a big football club, he's sending the wrong message to the followers and supporters in the club, he's telling them it's all right to be a racist."Do you think that is proper? So I am asking whether he is fit and proper to be chairman of a football club in the UK for what he has said."Asked if he though Whelan should be removed from his position, Tan responded: "I think the FA should take action, but I'll leave it to the FA."Vincent Tan on possible FA action"I think the world is watching what the FA will do. Will it be a regulator on football matters with teeth or a toothless regulator?"

Tan says he hopes English football's governing body "considers carefully" the cases of both Mackay and Whelan.Tan also says Whelan is wrong to have hired Mackay before the FA's investigation into the Scot is complete."Appointing Malky Mackay is not good for Wigan's image and for Mr Whelan's image, in view of the fact that the FA is investigating this and no decision has been made yet," said Tan.He is also concerned that Whelan seems to think the FA are unlikely to take action against Mackay."If that is true and if the FA is taking this matter lightly, I must say I am very disappointed," said Tan. "The FA must understand that the whole world is watching."Tan cited the recent case in the United States involving Donald Sterling, the former owner of basketball team the Los Angeles Clippers.Sterling was forced to sell the club by the National Basketball Association after making racist comments to his reported girlfriend."I think the world is watching what the FA will do," said Tan. "Will it be a regulator on football matters with teeth or a toothless regulator?"

Vincent!

[Fighting Weight]

[The Infamous]

Vince McTan

Goat CEO

Birdman status

[Greens]

Tan is all out to destroy Mackay. 

[Wavant]

DW luh the attention.