'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's persistent issues constitute a "significant problem" and the new football authority is seeking powers to examine team situations in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups connected to the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for English football and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they require examination and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in June, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the followers."
When asked if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, 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 cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence 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 voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish swiftly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in 2020.
The 68-year-old donated money to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
