'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "major concern" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in comparable cases, its new chair the regulator has declared.
During an extensive discussion, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups associated with the Championship side this week.
The team 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 September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for football in England and recently we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has represented their community in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs 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."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an particular organization, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of the game, over the past few decades there have been some owners, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the team's chairman in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish swiftly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, 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."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in recent years.
The official donated money to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [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 sort of politics."
