'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations associated with the Championship side in recent days.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the great brands for football in England and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an particular organization, an individual owner, without being able to work 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 football, over the recent generations there have been some owners, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has been channeled for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I fully support the success and growth as an financial organization of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
