'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's ongoing struggles constitute a "major concern" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the official has announced.
Through a comprehensive talk, the chairman, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club this week.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for the English game and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they require examination and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner 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 prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in spring months led to sanctions by the league officials in summer, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a regional establishment that has represented their community in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force 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 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 regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an specific team, an individual owner, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the game, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been invested for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of England. But concurrently, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in recent years.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
