'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's ongoing struggles represent a a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in comparable cases, the recently named head the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations connected to the Championship side this week.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for English football and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May caused limitations by the league officials in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a community organization 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 been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of football, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved might evaporate swiftly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I fully support the success and growth as an commercial operation of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old donated money to 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 ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
