'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles represent a a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in comparable cases, its new chair the official has stated.
During an extensive discussion, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side this week.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for the English game and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May caused limitations by the league officials in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
When asked if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an particular organization, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been invested for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in 2020.
The chairman provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
