'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's persistent issues are seen as a "significant problem" and the new football authority is seeking powers to look into club affairs in such situations, the recently named head the official has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the football team this week.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for the English game and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
When asked if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an particular organization, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the sport, over the past few decades there have been some owners, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has come into football for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an economic entity of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But concurrently, 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 high level of reassurance."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in the past.
The chairman provided financial support for government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
