'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
The team's ongoing struggles constitute a "major concern" and the new football authority is seeking powers to examine team situations in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the official has announced.
Through a comprehensive talk, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the South Yorkshire club recently.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for the English game and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the league officials in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a community organization that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the supporters."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "If your question is '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 compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you review the record 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 way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate swiftly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"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 persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I fully support the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. 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, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in recent years.
The chairman donated money to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
