'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's ongoing struggles constitute a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in comparable cases, the recently named head the regulator has stated.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on multiple instances, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for football in England and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information 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 cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an individual club, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved could disappear swiftly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has come into football for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
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 Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of England. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
