'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's persistent issues represent a a "serious issue" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club recently.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is 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 allow us to have the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up 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 football authorities in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
When asked if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the future."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has come into football for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in the past.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for 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 past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
