🔗 Share this article Sheffield Wednesday Confronts a 'Significant Problem', States Independent Regulator 'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues are seen as a "significant problem" and the new football authority is seeking powers to examine team situations in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the official has announced. Through a comprehensive talk, Kogan, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards the club's followers. Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the South Yorkshire club in recent days. The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in September. "Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained. "The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and in recent days 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 addressed." Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties. Delayed salary payments on time in spring months caused limitations by the football authorities in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in August. Authority's Position The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a local institution that has been part of their lives in numerous instances. "I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the followers." When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will." But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish 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 start getting involved with an individual club, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said. "In actuality, when you examine the past of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects." Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman during the current campaign 'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes' Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" 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 significant advances achieved might evaporate swiftly," the chairman stated. "And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going. "Substantial financial resources coming into football and has come into football for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years." Elite Division Worries Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an economic entity of the elite league. "I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance." Partisan Associations Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the political party in recent years. The chairman provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. "I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said. "I am presently disconnected from any form of political activity."