'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues are seen as a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in comparable cases, the recently named head the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups representing 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 multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for English football and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the league officials in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Inquired if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish 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 chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the sport, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has been invested for the recent generations, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of England. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in recent years.
The chairman donated money to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
