'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's ongoing struggles represent a a "major concern" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in such situations, the recently named head David Kogan has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, the chairman, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club recently.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for the English game and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the league officials in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Inquired if the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "When asking whether '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 regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an particular organization, an individual owner, 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.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has come into football for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in recent years.
The chairman provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
