'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's current difficulties represent a a "major concern" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the official has announced.
During an extensive discussion, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations associated with the football team this week.
The football club have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for football in England and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Economic Challenges 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 been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of football, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, not many, 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 long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. 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 telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in the past.
The chairman donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
