'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "major concern" and the new football authority is seeking powers to examine team situations in such situations, its new chair the regulator has declared.
Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the football team this week.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for football in England and recently we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they require examination and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May led to sanctions by the league officials in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the next three transfer 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 supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the supporters."
When asked if the regulator could force 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 answer is once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an individual club, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, 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 immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of England. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in 2020.
The official contributed funds to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
