'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "significant problem" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four supporters' associations associated with the Championship side this week.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and in recent days we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases referred to us if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for causes separate from the supporters."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is 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 oversight body would choose to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an specific team, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of the sport, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the future."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor during the current campaign
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the authority recently and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Top Flight Apprehensions
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the Premier League as a premium product of England. But at the same time, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
