'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in comparable cases, its new chair the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations connected to the Championship side this week.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the great brands for football in England and this week we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in June, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the supporters."
When asked if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved could disappear rapidly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear 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 entering the sport 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 part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in the past.
The official donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
