'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties represent a a "significant problem" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations associated with the Championship side in recent days.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for English football and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations referred to us if they require examination and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May led to sanctions by the league officials in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest 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 the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs 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 football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish swiftly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in the past.
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 have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
