'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues represent a a "serious issue" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in comparable cases, the recently named head David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups connected to the football team in recent days.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for the English game and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they require examination and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has represented their community in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades there have been some owners, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has been invested for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of England. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in recent years.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
