'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's current difficulties constitute a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the Championship side this week.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, 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.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an specific team, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you review the record of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been channeled for the recent generations, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But simultaneously, 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 public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in recent years.
The chairman donated money to government minister the minister's leadership bid, 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 ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
