'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
The Championship club's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in such situations, the recently named head the regulator has declared.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the Championship side recently.
The football club have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for the English game and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the football authorities in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Inquired if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish 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 the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the past few decades there have been some owners, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of England. But concurrently, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the political party in 2020.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
