'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's persistent issues represent a a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has declared.
During an extensive discussion, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side in recent days.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for football in England and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an specific team, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Owls fans have been protesting against the team's chairman this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been channeled for the recent generations, 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 potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in the past.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
