'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations connected to the football team in recent days.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny 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 Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate 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 last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved could disappear swiftly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an economic entity of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of England. But concurrently, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in recent years.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
