'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The Championship club's current difficulties constitute a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in such situations, the recently named head the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups connected to the football team recently.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for English football and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months caused limitations by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the followers."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer 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 authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an individual club, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate rapidly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of England. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
