'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "serious issue" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in such situations, the recently named head the regulator has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the football team this week.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner 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 interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Inquired if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an individual club, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the current proprietor this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish swiftly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an financial organization of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in 2020.
The 68-year-old donated money to 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 past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
