'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's persistent issues are seen as a "significant problem" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in comparable cases, its new chair the official has stated.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations representing the Championship side this week.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on multiple instances, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for football in England and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the game, over the past few decades there have been some owners, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the current proprietor this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear swiftly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants 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 invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in the past.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
