So Malky Mackay has thrown his hat into the ring and declared that he is interested in becoming the next Celtic manager.

But let’s not kid anyone on here, I probably have more chance to taking over at Celtic Park than Malky has.

Let’s get straight to the point with the huge elephant in the room when we always talk about Mackay and a prospective new job.

The leaked emails and texts that show the Scotsman using racist, sexist and homophobic language will see him as a hugely problematic and unwelcome candidate that the Celtic board just wouldn’t touch.

Celtic have always acted as a socially moral football club, obviously certain things happen that make people question that but by appointing Malky Mackay with his past, that would see the board openly defy that image and that in turn would create an even greater rift between the board and the fans.

Now some people will come out and state that the FA never brought charges to Malky Mackay relating to his private communications. Some will suggest that he was actually a victim of an unfair smear campaign from Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan. Some will say that he has apologised for the inappropriate language that he used and he has since went on courses to learn more about diversity and equality and now deserves a second chance.

But even if you can forgive Mackay for the scandalous texts, you cannot forget that he’s actually already had his second chance at Wigan Athletic in the English Championship.

He arrived amid complaints from the ‘Let’s Kick It Out’ campaign, opposition from the club’s fans and a sponsor even pulled their support for the club.

But in his four and a half months in charge things went from bad to worse at the Latics and they were sitting in the relegation zone when he was sacked and they never recovered. He simply failed to get the players to get on board to his way of thinking and couldn’t get positive results.

In the end Wigan lost sixteen games in his twenty-five games in charge at the DW Stadium and he left with a 20% win record.

Is that the record of a boss that Celtic will want to bring in? Especially when you factor in all the baggage that comes with his appointment. The answer? Not in a million years.

He simply doesn’t have the record or talent to make people forget the tarnished history he carries with him.

Now he talks a lot of sense when he mentions a ‘strategic plan’ but it is all just sound bites that every out of work manager says when talking up their own potential. Billy Davies was saying the same kind of stuff just a few weeks ago.

In the Daily Record they talk about him travelling around the football world learning methods from some of the best clubs and coaches but again the same goes for every out of work gaffer currently on the dole.

Malky also mentions his Celtic career and that might also count against him. His time at Celtic was never seen as being anything more than average. In five years he only managed to secure thirty-four league appearances.

As he wasn’t viewed as a fan favourite during his spell as a player, so the Parkhead fans won’t give him time to make mistakes as a manager. They would afford that time to a Henrik Larsson or a Neil Lennon. As soon as Mackay made a mistake they would pounce on it. Just look what happened to Tony Mowbray and at least he didn’t have the same racist baggage that comes with Mackay.

Does Malky Mackay deserve another chance to manage a football team? That’s not for me to answer, that will be for owners and boards to decide.

I just don’t think he has done enough to suggest he merits the chance to manage a big club like Celtic or return to the English top flight.

Malky has to lower his expectations and prove himself again at a smaller club if he ever wants to return to the big time!

Posted on April 24th, 2016 by scott
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