'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues represent a a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in such situations, the recently named head the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in last month.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for football in England and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May caused limitations by the football authorities in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an individual club, an individual owner, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you review the record of football, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the team's chairman this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear swiftly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been invested for the recent generations, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of England. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in 2020.
The chairman contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
