'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "major concern" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in comparable cases, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the football team recently.
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 September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in August.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require 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 understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of football, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has been invested for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook 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 the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an economic entity of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in the past.
The official 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 previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
