'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
The team's persistent issues represent a a "serious issue" and the football regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, Kogan, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups associated with the Championship side in recent days.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for football in England and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they require examination and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months caused limitations by the league officials in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
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 existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Inquired if the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an specific team, an individual owner, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the game, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the team's chairman this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear 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 flowing into the game and has come into football for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an economic entity of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Culture Secretary 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 select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
