'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
The Championship club's ongoing struggles represent a a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in such situations, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the Championship side in recent days.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for the English game and this week we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they require examination and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
When asked if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an individual club, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of football, 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 organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted 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 football community fails, the significant advances achieved might evaporate swiftly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been invested for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee 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 challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an economic entity of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of England. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the political party in recent years.
The official contributed funds to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."
