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Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues are seen as a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has declared.

Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.

The regulator engaged with four supporter groups connected to the South Yorkshire club this week.

The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.

"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.

"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for football in England and recently we have met supporters' organizations.

"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."

Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status

Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.

Delayed salary payments on time in March and May led to sanctions by the league officials in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.

Official's Viewpoint

Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.

"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the followers."

Inquired if the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."

But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.

"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.

"However, realistically, 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 approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the future."

'Mistakes could erase significant advances'

The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" 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 remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish rapidly," the chairman stated.

"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.

"Considerable investment 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 one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."

Premier League Concerns

Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an economic entity of the top division.

"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of England. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."

Partisan Associations

The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in 2020.

The 68-year-old donated money to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.

"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.

"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."