'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's current difficulties are seen as a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the official has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side this week.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for English football and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman the current owner indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an specific team, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of football, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish rapidly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been invested for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in the past.
The official donated money to government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
