'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's current difficulties represent a a "significant problem" and the new football authority is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations representing the football team recently.
The football club 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 major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the league officials in June, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a community organization that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
Inquired if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an particular organization, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear swiftly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been invested for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of England. But at the same time, 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 considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in recent years.
The chairman provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, 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 parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
