'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues represent a a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the regulator has announced.
During an extensive discussion, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the football team in recent days.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for the English game and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in June, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure 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 individual owner, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the sport, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, few in number, 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 future."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in the past.
The chairman donated money to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
