'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
The Championship club's persistent issues are seen as a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups connected to the football team recently.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for the English game and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor 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 interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the supporters."
Inquired if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the game, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But concurrently, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in 2020.
The official provided financial support for Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."
