'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "major concern" and the new football authority is seeking powers to examine team situations in comparable cases, the recently named head the official has declared.
Through a comprehensive talk, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the Championship side recently.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in this season, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the great brands for football in England and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner 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 prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months led to sanctions by the league officials in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has represented their community in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate rapidly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has come into football for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an financial organization of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any form of political activity."
