'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's current difficulties represent a a "serious issue" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in such situations, its new chair the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations associated with the Championship side recently.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for football in England and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they require examination and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where supporters are loyal to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an individual club, an individual owner, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, few in number, 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."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has come into football for the recent generations, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of England. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in the past.
The official contributed funds to government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [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."
