'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups representing the football team recently.
The team 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 the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for football in England and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they require examination and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year 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 March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an individual club, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the sport, 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 teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear swiftly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled for the recent generations, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, 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."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I fully support the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in recent years.
The official contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
