'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The team's ongoing struggles represent a a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the football team this week.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for the English game and recently 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 need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a local institution that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest 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 assemble the facts 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 commence engagement with an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the game, over the recent generations there have been some owners, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved could disappear swiftly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in recent years.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
