'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
The Championship club's persistent issues represent a a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporter groups associated with the Championship side this week.
The football club have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in the current year, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for football in England and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they require examination and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Inquired if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the game, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved might evaporate swiftly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of England. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister the minister's leadership bid, 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 select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
