'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's persistent issues represent a a "serious issue" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations connected to the football team in recent days.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for football in England and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has represented their community in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, 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 judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an particular organization, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" 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 could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has been invested for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in the past.
The chairman contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
