'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "major concern" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations connected to the football team recently.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club delaying salary disbursements on multiple instances, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in summer, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, 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 community organization that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an specific team, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the game, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable 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 invested 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."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an commercial operation of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour 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 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 chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
