'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues represent a a "significant problem" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the official has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations connected to the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in this season, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for football in England and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri 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 interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the followers."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an specific team, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, not many, but some who have been irresponsible 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 voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the authority recently and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money 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 among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of England. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
