'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's current difficulties are seen as a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in comparable cases, the recently named head the regulator has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups associated with the South Yorkshire club recently.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for football in England and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an specific team, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of football, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against the current proprietor this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate rapidly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants 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 past two decades, because there are no assurances it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an economic entity of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in 2020.
The chairman contributed funds to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
