'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the recently named head the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the football team in recent days.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for English football and this week we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they require examination and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the league officials in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a local institution that has been part of their lives in numerous instances.
"I completely understand the club's situation, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the followers."
When asked if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an individual club, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of football, over the recent generations there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against the team's chairman this season
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of this country. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials 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 significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding 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."
