'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
The Championship club's current difficulties constitute a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the official has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups connected to the South Yorkshire club recently.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations referred to us if they require examination and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an specific team, an individual owner, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of football, over the past few decades there have been some owners, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an commercial operation of the top division.
"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 talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in recent years.
The official donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
