'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side recently.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they require examination and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I completely understand 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."
When asked if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an individual club, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the game, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate swiftly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been invested for the recent generations, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I fully support the success and growth as an financial organization of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
