'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
The Championship club's current difficulties represent a a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in such situations, its new chair the official 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 associated with the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for English football and recently we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman indicated in the summer 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 earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has represented their community in many cases.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
When asked if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an specific team, an individual owner, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of football, over the past few decades there have been some owners, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment 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 maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
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 the regulator stated: "I fully support the achievement and development as an financial organization of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But concurrently, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
