'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues represent a a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in such situations, its new chair the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations associated with the football team this week.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for the English game and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in spring months led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the supporters."
Inquired if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell 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 particular organization, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the game, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Owls fans 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 detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in 2020.
The chairman donated money to government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
