'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues represent a a "significant problem" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair the regulator has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations associated with the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
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 last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an specific team, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the future."
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 maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" 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 world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - 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 part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I fully support the success and growth as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in 2020.
The 68-year-old donated money to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
