'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "serious issue" and the new football authority is seeking powers to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups associated with the football team this week.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for football in England and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an specific team, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been invested for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in the past.
The chairman provided financial support for government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
