'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in such situations, the recently named head the official has declared.
Through a comprehensive talk, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The football club have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for English football and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they require examination and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, 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 since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the fans themselves."
When asked if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, 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 collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an particular organization, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the game, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate swiftly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, 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 Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in recent years.
The chairman provided financial support for government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
