'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles represent a a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has declared.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporter groups connected to the football team this week.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner 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 potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year 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 that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an individual club, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope 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 should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in the past.
The chairman provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
