'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
The team's ongoing struggles represent a a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the recently named head the official has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the Championship side in recent days.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for football in England and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they require examination and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months caused limitations by the league officials in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has represented their community in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of football, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the future."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved could disappear swiftly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in 2020.
The official donated money to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
