'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the official has stated.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations connected to the football team in recent days.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an individual club, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish rapidly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has come into football for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of England. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in recent years.
The chairman donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
