馃敆 Share this article Sheff Wed Confronts Major Issues, Declares New Football Authority 'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman The team's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in comparable cases, its new chair David Kogan has declared. In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase. Kogan met with four supporter groups associated with the Championship side this week. The football club 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 the autumn. "Evidently Wednesday represents a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told. "Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for English football and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups. "We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with." Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation The club's controversial proprietor the current owner indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties. Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the football authorities in June, blocking the team from conducting any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in August. Official's Viewpoint Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances. "I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves." Inquired if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will." But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to work with them. "The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the regulator explained. "But the truth is, when you examine the past of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the future." Wednesday followers have been protesting against the current proprietor this season 'Mistakes could erase significant advances' Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight. "The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate incredibly quickly," the regulator warned. "This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going. "There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been channeled for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons." Premier League Concerns The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the Premier League. "I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence." Ideological Links Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the political party in 2020. The official donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader. "I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained. "I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."