'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the new football authority is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club this week.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for the English game and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades there have been some owners, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved could disappear rapidly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been invested for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee 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 potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of England. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in the past.
The official donated money to government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [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."
