'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in such situations, the recently named head David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups connected to the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The football club have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for English football and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they require examination and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the supporters."
Inquired if the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "If your question is '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 cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against the team's chairman in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has come into football for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
