'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "major concern" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they require examination and acted upon."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the current owner stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in June, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Inquired if the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an particular organization, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate rapidly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I fully support the success and growth as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But concurrently, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, 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."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
