'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
The Championship club's current difficulties are seen as a "significant problem" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in such situations, the recently named head the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the Championship side this week.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against the team's chairman this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
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.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been channeled for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, 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 considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in the past.
The 68-year-old donated money to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any form of political activity."
