'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties represent a a "serious issue" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the regulator has announced.
During an extensive discussion, Kogan, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for English football and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, 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 English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "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 Sheffield Wednesday, 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 supporters."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with 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 owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the sport, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate swiftly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the achievement and development as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But simultaneously, 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 significant confidence."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, 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 official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
