'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties represent a a "major concern" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the football team recently.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in the current year, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the great brands for English football and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months caused limitations by the league officials in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a community organization that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the sport, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation 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'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved could disappear incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has come into football for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of England. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in the past.
The official donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
