'We will play a key role in football's future' - newly appointed regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues are seen as a "serious issue" and the new football authority is seeking powers to examine team situations in comparable cases, its new chair David Kogan has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporter groups associated with the Championship side in recent days.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for the English game and this week we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they require examination and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May led to sanctions by the league officials in June, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a regional establishment that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I completely understand 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 factors unrelated to the followers."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an individual club, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the sport, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the future."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the team's chairman in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear swiftly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the success and growth as an economic entity of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in the past.
The official donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
