'We will play a key role in football's future' - newly appointed regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for the English game and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they require examination and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has represented their community in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an owner to sell 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 assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an particular organization, an specific proprietor, 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 regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish swiftly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has come into football for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
