'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the new chairman
The team's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in such situations, the recently named head the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporter groups associated with the football team recently.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for English football and this week we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the football authorities in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of football, over the recent generations there have been some owners, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish rapidly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the achievement and development as an financial organization of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in the past.
The chairman donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any form of political activity."
