'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "major concern" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations associated with the football team 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 multiple instances, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for English football and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations referred to us if they require examination and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an financial organization of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the political party in recent years.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary 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 am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
