'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the regulator has declared.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporter groups connected to the Championship side in recent days.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for the English game and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May caused limitations by the league officials in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
When asked if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the sport, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, 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."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear rapidly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled 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 adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in recent years.
The official donated money to 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've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
