Riyadh: Oman and Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi has spoken out in support of his club chairman Dave Whelan despite recent racist comments made by the 78-year-old Englishman.

Whelan was accused of making racist and anti-semitic remarks during a recent interview, when asked to defend his recent decision to hire Malky Mackay as coach of the English Championship club.

Mackay is already under investigation by the English Football Association for alleged racist and anti-semitic emails and text messages sent during his time as Cardiff City manager.

However, when asked to comment on the controversy awaiting him on his return to England, Al Habsi, who has been in Saudi Arabia playing for his national team Oman in the ongoing Gulf Cup, lent his full support to his employers. “I’ve had a great experience with him [Dave Whelan], he’s a great guy and a great chairman, I wish him all the best,” he said. “I’m looking forward to going back to work, until now I haven’t met the new gaffer [Malky Mackay], but I’m really looking forward to going back to work with him.”

Al Habsi lost his first team place to Scott Carson after a shoulder injury and was recently sent out on loan to fellow Championship side Brighton and Hove Albion, but now he’s eager to fight his way back into the starting 11.

“Now I’m going back to Wigan and I feel great, I’ve played five games in a short time [at the Gulf Cup] and that’s given me good confidence to go back.”

Oman finished fourth at the Gulf Cup after losing the semi-final 3-1 to Qatar and the third place play-off 1-0 to the UAE, but they finished top of their group with two draws against the UAE 0-0, Iraq 1-1 and a 5-0 win over Kuwait.

Al Habsi said the experience bode well for January’s Asian Cup in Australia, where Oman are pooled with hosts Australia, South Korea and Kuwait. “It was a good tournament for us,” he said. “It was good experience for the younger players to play such games ahead of the Asian Cup. Now we have 40 days to prepare for the competition and a lot of hard work still needs to be done.”