QPR boss Harry Rednapp has publicly shown his support for fellow football coach Malky Mackay by saying the current controversy over his alleged unacceptable conduct should not end his career.
The investigation taking place concerns derogative text messages that were believed to have been sent between Mackay and his former colleague Iain Moody, who he worked with last year at Cardiff City.
As a result of the investigation being launched this week, a stop has been to the pair being reunited at Crystal Palace, as Mackay is no longer in the running for the manager’s job and Moody resigned from his post as sporting director yesterday.
Redknapp, who is not a stranger to media controversy himself, aired his views in a press conference this morning about the dubious predicament hanging over the head of Mackay and said everybody makes mistakes from time to time.
“Malky Mackay has made a big mistake,” he said. “I don’t know the other lad (Moody) but obviously what they’ve done is not right.
“Malky is a fantastic lad, a great fella, a family man, a real football man. He’s made a mistake, people make mistakes. Suddenly everyone’s an angel.
“It shouldn’t finish his life should it? He’s a young man with a big future, no-one’s suffered like he and his family.”
The nature of the text messages under investigation by the FA is understood to be racist, sexist, homophobic and totally inappropriate but Redknapp said we should not lose sight of the fact Mackay is not a big-time criminal such as a murder or rapist, and he deserves to be given a second chance.
“He’s not a murderer, he’s not a rapist and he’s not a paedophile. It shouldn’t finish his life.
“People get second chances in life. He’s made a mistake but we’re not going to hang him for it are we? Hopefully he’ll learn from what he’s done.”
The QPR boss was quick to add he does not condone the derogative text message conversation between the two football professionals and was very defiant over the fact nobody gets it right in terms of their behaviour, 100% of the time.
“I’m not condoning it, it’s wrong if he’s done what he’s alleged to have done. But show me someone who’s never made a mistake and I’ll show you a liar.”