'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the official has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for football in England and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they require examination and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in August.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the followers."
Inquired if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an particular organization, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the game, over the recent generations there have been some owners, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'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 insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved could disappear rapidly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled for the recent generations, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
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 prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the top division.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in 2020.
The chairman provided financial support for government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
