'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's persistent issues represent a a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has stated.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the South Yorkshire club recently.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for football in England and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in spring months led to sanctions by the league officials in June, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an individual owner, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the sport, over the past few decades there have been some owners, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the authority recently and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
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 fully support the success and growth as an financial organization of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in the past.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
