'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
The Championship club's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the football regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, the recently named head David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations associated with the Championship side this week.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for English football and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Inquired if the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an particular organization, an individual owner, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the team's chairman this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved might evaporate incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of England. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in recent years.
The chairman donated money to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
