'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties represent a a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has stated.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporter groups associated with the football team this week.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for English football and this week we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May caused limitations by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a regional establishment that has represented their community in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Inquired if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an specific team, an individual owner, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
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 "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate rapidly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has come into football for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an financial organization of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in 2020.
The chairman donated money to Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
