'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
The team's ongoing struggles are seen as a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in comparable cases, its new chair David Kogan has declared.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations connected to the Championship side in recent days.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for football in England and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The position was created 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 Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, 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 collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an specific team, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the game, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear swiftly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football 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 among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in recent years.
The chairman provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
