'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the official has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations representing the Championship side this week.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions 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."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the football authorities in summer, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
Inquired if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern '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 forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an individual club, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of football, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved might evaporate incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in 2020.
The official provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
