'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues are seen as a "serious issue" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in comparable cases, its new chair the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations associated with the football team this week.
The football club have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for football in England and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May caused limitations by the league officials in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
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 represented their community in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Inquired if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with 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 proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"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 incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
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 prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League 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 considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the political party in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."
