'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues represent a a "significant problem" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club this week.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for the English game and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they require examination and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been protesting against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate swiftly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on potential dangers and naturally, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in the past.
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 government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
