'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair the regulator has announced.
Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations representing the football team this week.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for football in England and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations referred to us if they require examination and acted upon."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Inquired if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an specific team, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of football, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the future."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the authority recently and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish rapidly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in recent years.
The chairman contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
