'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues represent a a "major concern" and the independent regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in such situations, the recently named head the regulator has declared.
During an extensive discussion, Kogan, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club recently.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for football in England and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Monetary Issues 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 failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a community organization that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, 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 Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish rapidly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an commercial operation of the top division.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product 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, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in 2020.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
