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Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in comparable cases, its new chair the official has declared.

In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.

The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations associated with the Championship side this week.

The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in this season, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in last month.

"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.

"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and this week we have met supporters' organizations.

"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they require examination and dealt with."

Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status

Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.

Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.

Regulator's Perspective

Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a regional establishment that has represented their community in multiple situations.

"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the fans themselves."

Inquired if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."

But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.

"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.

"But the truth is, when you review the record of the game, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the future."

'Mistakes could erase significant advances'

The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.

"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate swiftly," Kogan said.

"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.

"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."

Premier League Concerns

Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an financial organization of the elite league.

"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."

Ideological Links

The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in 2020.

The official donated money to Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.

"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."