'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "serious issue" and the new football authority is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations associated with the Championship side recently.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for football in England and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the football authorities in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
When asked if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of football, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - 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 persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But concurrently, 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 telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in recent years.
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've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
