'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's ongoing struggles represent a a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in comparable cases, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for the English game and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an specific team, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the game, over the recent generations there have been some owners, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been invested for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of England. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
