'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties represent a a "major concern" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups connected to the South Yorkshire club recently.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for the English game and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement 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, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Inquired if the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "When asking whether '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 oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football 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 one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body 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 financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
