'Our role is integral to football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's ongoing struggles represent a a "serious issue" and the football regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations connected to the Championship side recently.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for English football and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they require examination and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the supporters."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an specific team, an individual owner, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'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 "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" 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 significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been invested for the recent generations, because there are no assurances it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I fully support the success and growth as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in recent years.
The chairman donated money to government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
