'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles represent a a "significant problem" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in comparable cases, the recently named head David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club recently.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for the English game and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
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 not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Inquired if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an individual club, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the recent generations there have been some owners, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish swiftly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the success and growth as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old donated money to government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"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 sort of politics."
