'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's persistent issues are seen as a "major concern" and the new football authority is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair the regulator has declared.
Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations associated with the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the great brands for football in England and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"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 dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in summer, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The position was created for the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
When asked if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish swiftly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been channeled for the recent generations, because there are no assurances 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 risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of England. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the political party in recent years.
The chairman donated money to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed 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 sort of politics."
