'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's current difficulties are seen as a "major concern" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in comparable cases, the recently named head the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporter groups connected to the Championship side recently.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for English football and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an owner to sell 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 the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an individual club, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate rapidly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in 2020.
The chairman donated money to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
