'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles represent a a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in comparable cases, the recently named head David Kogan has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side recently.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in 2025, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for the English game and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they require examination and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the followers."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an specific team, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear swiftly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has come into football for the recent generations, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an economic entity of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in 2020.
The chairman contributed funds 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 been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any form of political activity."
