'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
The team's persistent issues represent a a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four fan organizations connected to the South Yorkshire club recently.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in summer, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the followers."
When asked if the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an specific team, an individual owner, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" 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 football community fails, the significant advances achieved could disappear rapidly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I fully support the success and growth as an financial organization of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."
