'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups representing the Championship side recently.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for the English game and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they require examination and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months led to sanctions by the league officials in June, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The position was created for the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against the team's chairman in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday 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 should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of England. 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, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in the past.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
