'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the official has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations connected to the football team this week.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for English football and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the football authorities in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the followers."
When asked if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the authority recently and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been invested for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of England. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"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," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any form of political activity."
