'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles represent a a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to investigate clubs in comparable cases, its new chair the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards Wednesday's fanbase.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in the current year, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for the English game and this week we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Authority's Position
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate the club's situation, as I do for every team that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an particular organization, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been demonstrating against the current proprietor in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The chairman convened with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has been invested for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the success and growth as an economic entity of the elite league.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in the past.
The official provided financial support for Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
