'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has declared.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporter groups associated with the Championship side recently.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for the English game and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they require examination and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the followers."
When asked if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the game, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear rapidly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in the past.
The chairman provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
