'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 "serious issue" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in comparable cases, its new chair David Kogan has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the Championship side in recent days.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the supporters."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "When asking whether '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 requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an individual club, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of football, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of England. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [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 form of political activity."
