'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations connected to the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for football in England and recently 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 referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the followers."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern '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 considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of football, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved could disappear swiftly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I fully support the achievement and development as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -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 official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
