'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles represent a a "major concern" and the new football authority is seeking powers to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups representing the Championship side this week.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in June, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Authority's Position
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 represented their community in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "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 Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear rapidly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
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 chairman responded: "I fully support the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in 2020.
The 68-year-old donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
