'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues are seen as a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in comparable cases, its new chair the regulator has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side this week.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, 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.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football 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 referred to us if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months led to sanctions by the league officials in June, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in August.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "If your question is '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 requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an specific team, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the game, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the authority recently and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear swiftly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"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 one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in recent years.
The chairman provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."
