'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in comparable cases, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations connected to the South Yorkshire club recently.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for football in England and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in spring months led to sanctions by the football authorities in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an owner to sell 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 know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an individual club, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the game, over the past few decades there have been some owners, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has been invested for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the political party in the past.
The chairman contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
