'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The team's persistent issues represent a a "significant problem" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the football team recently.
The team 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 major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for the English game and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the football authorities in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Inquired if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an individual club, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the game, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish rapidly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has come into football for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an economic entity of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in 2020.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
