'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The team's current difficulties represent a a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for the English game and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations referred to us if they require examination and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has represented their community in many cases.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the followers."
When asked if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been invested for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of England. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in recent years.
The chairman contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 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 ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
