'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's ongoing struggles represent a a "serious issue" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
During an extensive discussion, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the Championship side in recent days.
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 September.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for football in England and recently we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the league officials in June, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require 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 regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an individual club, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"In actuality, 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 manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the current proprietor this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate swiftly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has been invested for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
