'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has announced.
Through a comprehensive talk, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups associated with the Championship side this week.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for English football and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the sport, over the past few decades there have been some owners, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, 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 huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I fully support the success and growth as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any form of political activity."
