'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues constitute a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the official has announced.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "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 many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the club's situation, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we gather the evidence and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an specific team, an specific proprietor, 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.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the game, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the division as a high-quality offering of England. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, 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
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in the past.
The official provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
