'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the recently named head David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side this week.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in this season, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in September.
"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 great brands for the English game and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months caused limitations by the league officials in June, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"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 reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of football, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the future."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the authority recently and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has come into football for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the political party in recent years.
The official contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
