'We are going to be a part of football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "serious issue" and the new football authority is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in such situations, the recently named head the regulator has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for English football and recently we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the league officials in summer, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
When asked if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the sport, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game and has been invested for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the achievement and development as an commercial operation of the top division.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a high level of reassurance."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the political party in the past.
The chairman contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any form of political activity."
