'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "major concern" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the recently named head the official has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations connected to the Championship side in recent days.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for football in England and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they require examination and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the league officials in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "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 chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the sport, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has come into football for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
