'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in comparable cases, its new chair the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations associated with the Championship side recently.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the great brands for English football and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in summer, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has represented their community in many cases.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an particular organization, an specific proprietor, 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 review the record of the sport, over the recent generations there have been some owners, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I fully support the achievement and development as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in 2020.
The chairman donated money to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed 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."
