'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
The Championship club's current difficulties represent a a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations representing the football team in recent days.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months caused limitations by the league officials in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Inquired if the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the past few decades there have been some owners, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved might evaporate swiftly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game 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 coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in the past.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
