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Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues are seen as a "major concern" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has stated.

In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.

The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations associated with the South Yorkshire club this week.

The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in September.

"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.

"The club represents one of the iconic names for football in England and in recent days we have met fan representatives.

"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."

Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation

The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.

Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in late summer.

Regulator's Perspective

Kogan said: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.

"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."

Inquired if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."

But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell 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 commence engagement with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," Kogan said.

"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades 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 don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."

'Mistakes could erase significant advances'

The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the lower divisions to the top flight.

"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate incredibly quickly," Kogan said.

"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.

"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."

Elite Division Worries

Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.

"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."

Political Connections

Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in 2020.

The chairman contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.

"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.

"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."