Wigan owner Dave Whelan defended the hiring of Malky Mackay as manager, telling The Guardian that he did not find offensive some of the racist text messages for which Mackay is under investigation.
Whelan spoke to the newspaper in an exclusive interview a day after appointing Mackay as Wigan manager despite an ongoing Football Association probe into messages Mackay sent while manager of Cardiff.
Mackay has admitted to referring in text messages to Cardiff's Malaysian owner Vincent Tan with a racial slur, as well as derogatory remarks toward agent Phil Smith, who is Jewish.
Asked about a text in which Mackay referred to Jewish stereotypes, Whelan said he believed there was "not a lot wrong" about his new coach's statements.
"Do you think Jewish people chase money a little bit more than we do? I think they are very shrewd people," Whelan told the newspaper.
"I think Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else. I don't think that's offensive at all.
"It's telling the truth. Jewish people love money, English people love money; we all love money."
Whelan, 77, also defended Mackay's use of a racial slur to refer to Tan.
"If any Englishman said he has never called a Chinaman a c---- he is lying," Whelan said. "There is nothing bad about doing that. It is like calling the British Brits, or the Irish paddies."
The Guardian also reported that Whelan's comments have already drawn criticism from community leaders.
Whelan later apologised for his comments on Sky Sports.
"I would never, ever insult a Jewish person. I have got hundreds and hundreds of Jewish friends. I would never upset a Jewish person. I would never upset them because I hold them in the highest regard," he said.
"If anyone takes offence to anything I have said, please accept my sincere apology. It's either a misquote or on that day I must have done 50 interviews. You can imagine how many times I've been on because of this case. I did not mean to insult any single person.
"The Chinese community -- again, I've got loads of Chinese friends. I would never insult the Chinese. I know Malky Mackay insulted them and they take that name seriously. I understand their point of view completely. He apologised to them and I hope they accept that.
"I apologise on my behalf and on behalf of the club. We do not ever want to insult any nation or any person in the world."
Before Whelan's apology, Kick It Out called for the FA to investigate Whelan for his comments: "The Football Association has outlined in a statement that 'no assurances have been given on the outcome of the case' yet Wigan Athletic owner Dave Whelan continues to suggest elsewhere that two 'influential' people have informed him that 'nothing will come' from the investigation.
"This comes shortly after the Guardian published comments from Whelan that 'Jewish people chase money more than everybody else' and that the word 'c----' is not offensive. He has brought into question whether he is a fit and proper person who should be running a professional football club.
"The remarks act as another example of the culture which continues to exist within football, and further proves that some in positions of power seem comfortable sharing those views either privately or publicly. These comments must not go unchallenged and have to be investigated by The FA.
"The FA also needs to get to the bottom of Whelan's insistence that he has been in contact with 'influential' figures within its own organisation about the Malky Mackay and Iain Moody case. They must ascertain whether his claims have any substance by conducting an investigation into this too."
Asked about Kick It Out's statement, Whelan said he took it "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," Whelan said on Sky Sports. "I played football for 15 years in all four divisions, I've had massive experience in football, I've brought Wigan from the fourth division to the Premier League and 18 months ago we won the FA Cup.
"I cannot accept people would think I'd insult them or football in any way, shape or form.
"I love football passionately and I love Wigan passionately and I fight to get Wigan to do well. I don't want the reputation tarnished -- we're a very happy, honest club."