'Our role is integral to football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
The team's ongoing struggles represent a a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the regulator has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club recently.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for English football and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations referred to us if they require examination and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in June, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the supporters."
When asked if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"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 chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport 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 part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an economic entity of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old donated money 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 party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
