'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "major concern" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups representing the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for the English game and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
When asked if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "If your question is '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 forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved could disappear incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, 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 challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of England. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
