'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's persistent issues represent a a "major concern" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations representing the football team in recent days.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for the English game and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the supporters."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the game, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has come into football for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the political party in 2020.
The 68-year-old donated money to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
