'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles represent a a "significant problem" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in comparable cases, the recently named head the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations connected to the football team in recent days.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in this season, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish 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 begin intervening in an individual club, 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.
"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 manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish rapidly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of England. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in recent years.
The chairman contributed funds to 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 former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
