'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator 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 similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations associated with 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 multiple instances, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "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 the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the sport, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved could disappear incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has come into football for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, 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
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an financial organization of the top division.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
