'We will play a key role in football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues represent a a "significant problem" and the new football authority is seeking powers to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman David Kogan has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups associated with the football team this week.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in 2025, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the great brands for English football and recently we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an specific team, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the authority recently and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in the past.
The chairman provided financial support for government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
