'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
The team's persistent issues represent a a "major concern" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in such situations, the recently named head the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations connected to the football team in recent days.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for English football and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they require examination and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a community organization that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Inquired if the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the authority recently and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" 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 world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish rapidly," Kogan said.
"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 coming into football and has been channeled for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective 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 fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an financial organization of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in the past.
The chairman provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 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 ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
