'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
The Championship club's ongoing struggles are seen as a "significant problem" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side recently.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the great brands for football in England and this week we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the league officials in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"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 regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, 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 final option we would consider is begin intervening in an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"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 necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"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 certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an financial organization of the top division.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in 2020.
The chairman contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
