'We will play a key role in football's future' - newly appointed regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues are seen as a "serious issue" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has declared.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups connected to the South Yorkshire club this week.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for English football and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the current owner indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force 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 response would be once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an specific team, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an economic entity of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of England. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."
