'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The team's current difficulties are seen as a "major concern" and the new football authority is seeking powers to examine team situations in comparable cases, the recently named head the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side 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.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for football in England and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman 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 potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "If your question is '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 forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an specific team, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I fully support the achievement and development as an economic entity of the top division.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the political party in the past.
The official provided financial support for Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
