'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the football team this week.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for the English game and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in June, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
When asked if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an specific team, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" 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 might evaporate incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has come into football for the recent generations, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in 2020.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [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 type of partisan engagement."
