'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The team's persistent issues represent a a "serious issue" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the recently named head David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the Championship side this week.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for English football and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an owner to sell 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 gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the game, over the recent generations there have been some owners, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear rapidly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game 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 last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I fully support the success and growth as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in 2020.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
