'Our role is integral to football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
The Championship club's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the official has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, voiced concern towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the Championship side this week.
The football club have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for football in England and in recent days we have met supporters' organizations.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor Dejphon Chansiri stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Authority's Position
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are judged inappropriate, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The final option we would consider is start getting involved with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of the sport, over the past few decades there have been some owners, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate swiftly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an commercial operation of the top division.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the Premier League as a premium product of the nation. But concurrently, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have fully disclosed my past party membership [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
