'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the recently named head David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the football team recently.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on multiple instances, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for football in England and this week we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months caused limitations by the football authorities in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an specific team, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the sport, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved could disappear swiftly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. 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, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the political party in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
