'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties represent a a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups connected to the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in the current year, 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 significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for the English game and this week we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year 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 resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
When asked if the regulator could force 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 assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades there have been some owners, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate swiftly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, 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."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the success and growth as an economic entity of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League 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."
Partisan Associations
The regulator remains subject to a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations 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 fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
