'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the recently named head the official has declared.
Through a comprehensive talk, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the football team this week.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements 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 historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they require examination and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the current owner 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 interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May caused limitations by the league officials in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a local institution that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Inquired if the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of football, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been invested for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition 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, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
