'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "serious issue" and the new football authority is seeking powers to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups representing the Championship side in recent days.
The football club have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "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 requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" 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 significant advances achieved necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," 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 flowing into the game and has been channeled for the recent generations, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to 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 Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in recent years.
The official donated money to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any form of political activity."
