'Our role is integral to football's future' - newly appointed regulator the new chairman
The team's persistent issues represent a a "serious issue" and the football regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups connected to the South Yorkshire club recently.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for football in England and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the football authorities in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, 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 considered unfit, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish 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 commence engagement with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you review the record of football, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability 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 officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish swiftly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an economic entity of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
