'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's ongoing struggles represent a a "major concern" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club this week.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for English football and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they require examination and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer 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 spring months caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a local institution that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an individual club, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of the sport, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against the team's chairman in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the authority recently and maintained it represented 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 should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved might evaporate incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind 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 creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of England. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in 2020.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
