'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties constitute a "major concern" and the new football authority is seeking powers to investigate clubs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the regulator has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporter groups associated with the South Yorkshire club in recent days.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club delaying salary disbursements on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May caused limitations by the league officials in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any recruitment activities for the following recruitment periods, although the ban was rescinded in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
When asked if the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the reply is once we collect the information and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"Our least desirable course of action is commence engagement with an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the coming years."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the regulator on Wednesday and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will continue to come into football, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in 2020.
The chairman contributed funds to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my past party membership [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
