Malky Mackay is set to be appointed as performance director at the Scottish Football Association tomorrow.

Eastern Daily Press: Mackay was part of the Norwich team beaten on penalties by Birmingham in the Division One play-off final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in 2002. Picture: Archant libraryMackay was part of the Norwich team beaten on penalties by Birmingham in the Division One play-off final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in 2002. Picture: Archant library

Various media outlets have reported that the former Norwich City and Celtic centre-back is on the verge of being appointed, after 20 months out of the game.

The 44-year-old was last in charge of Wigan Athletic, after a controversial spell put the brakes on his managerial career due to an FA investigation into text messages he had sent containing racist and sexist language.

The 11-month investigation saw the FA take no disciplinary action due to an 'expectation of privacy' for the messages between Mackay and his former head of recruitment at Cardiff City, Iain Moody, although both were warned about their conduct and apologised.

Now the Scot is set to succeed Brian McClair as national performance director, who stepped down in July after 17 months in the role. SFA chief executive Stewart Regan said in a statement at the time that the role 'requires a different style of leadership and focus'.

Eastern Daily Press: Mackay celebrates the first of his two goals against Ipswich, in a 3-1 win for Norwich at Carrow Road in Division One in March 2004. Picture: James BassMackay celebrates the first of his two goals against Ipswich, in a 3-1 win for Norwich at Carrow Road in Division One in March 2004. Picture: James Bass (Image: Eastern Daily Press © 2004)

Mackay initially joined Norwich on loan from Celtic in September 1998 but then Canaries boss Bruce Rioch soon made that a permanent deal, for a fee of around £350,000.

The commanding defender went on to make a total 233 appearances for City, scoring 16 goals, and played a major role in the team which won the Division One title in 2004.

He played in all but one league game that season as part of a formidable central defensive pairing with Craig Fleming but was deemed surplus to requirements ahead of the 2004/05 Premiership season, at the age of 32.

He dropped back down to the second tier and helped West Ham to win promotion via the play-offs, but again missed out on the top flight, joining Watford and again winning the Championship play-offs.

The Norwich City Hall of Fame member finally played a handful of games in the Premiership with the Hornets before his career wound down.

Mackay then began his managerial career with Watford in 2009, before moving on to Cardiff in 2011 and leading the Bluebirds to the Championship title in 2013.