'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations connected to the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for the English game and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the current owner 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 interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the supporters."
When asked if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are judged inappropriate, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an specific team, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the sport, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the future."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate swiftly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, 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
Elite division representatives objected to the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in recent years.
The chairman contributed funds to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
