'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
The team's ongoing struggles represent a a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
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 last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for football in England and recently we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
When asked if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts 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 work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you review the record 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 clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the authority recently and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear swiftly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been invested for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an financial organization of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of England. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the political party in recent years.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 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 parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
