'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
The Championship club's current difficulties are seen as a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the football team this week.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for the English game and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the league officials in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
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 reply is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of football, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has come into football for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for 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 ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
