'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "serious issue" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations associated with the football team recently.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a local institution that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the team's plight, 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 fans themselves."
When asked if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be 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 authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against the team's chairman in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" 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 extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate rapidly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
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 Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the political party in the past.
The official provided financial support for 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 been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
