'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues are seen as a "significant problem" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in comparable cases, its new chair David Kogan has stated.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups connected to the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, 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 major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they require examination and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months caused limitations by the league officials in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "The position was created for the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a community organization that has represented their community in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish rapidly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, 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 immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I fully support the success and growth as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
