'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations connected to the football team this week.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for English football and this week we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the football authorities in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for every team 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 regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest 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 specific team, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the game, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the team's chairman this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved might evaporate incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But simultaneously, 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 telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
