'Our role is integral to football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's persistent issues represent a a "significant problem" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the South Yorkshire club this week.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for English football and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they require examination and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern '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 chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the sport, over the recent generations there have been some owners, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against the team's chairman in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved could disappear rapidly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been invested for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the top division.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of this country. 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, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
