'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "serious issue" and the football regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has declared.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for the English game and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May caused limitations by the league officials in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an individual club, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear swiftly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has come into football for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the political party in the past.
The official donated money to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."
