'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The team's current difficulties are seen as a "serious issue" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the official has declared.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the football team this week.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and this week we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they require examination and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May caused limitations by the football authorities in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an individual club, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of football, over the past few decades there have been some owners, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved might evaporate incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been invested for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the top division.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in recent years.
The official provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
