'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "major concern" and the new football authority is seeking powers to look into club affairs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the official has stated.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups representing the Championship side in recent days.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they require examination and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"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 factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an specific team, an individual owner, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against the team's chairman in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear swiftly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been invested for the recent generations, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an economic entity of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
