'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
The Championship club's ongoing struggles constitute a "major concern" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations connected to the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May caused limitations by the football authorities in June, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Inquired if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I fully support the achievement and development as an financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of England. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in the past.
The chairman provided financial support for government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
