'Our role is integral to 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 examine team situations in similar circumstances, its new chair the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club this week.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in this season, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for football in England and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases brought to our attention if they require examination and addressed."
Economic Challenges and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner Dejphon Chansiri suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the football authorities in June, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a community organization that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
Inquired if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate swiftly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has been channeled for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of England. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in the past.
The official donated money 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 ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
