'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles represent a a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations associated with the football team in recent days.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for the English game and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they require examination and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
When asked if the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an individual club, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in recent years.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
