'We are going to be a part of football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "major concern" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the football team recently.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the great brands for football in England and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations referred to us if they require examination and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May caused limitations by the football authorities in June, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, Bury or any football club where people are committed to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, not many, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear rapidly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has been channeled for the recent generations, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the apprehension regarding damaging the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in recent years.
The chairman donated money to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
