'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
The Championship club's current difficulties represent a a "significant problem" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations associated with the Championship side this week.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in last month.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they require examination and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately decline to assume obligation for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear incredibly quickly," 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.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in the past.
The official provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
