'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues represent a a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was recently selected, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side in recent days.
The Championship side have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on several different times, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for English football and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they require examination and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has represented their community in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization 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 certain proprietors, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their teams and eventually refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against the team's chairman during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money 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 among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the success and growth as an economic entity of the top division.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in the past.
The 68-year-old donated money to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I've been completely open about my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
