'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations connected to the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for the English game and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of football, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has come into football for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
