'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in comparable cases, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
The regulator engaged with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side recently.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the great brands for English football and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with interested parties.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the league officials in June, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, other clubs in similar situations where people are committed to a community organization that has represented their community in many cases.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
When asked if the regulator could force an chairman to relinquish a club if they are judged inappropriate, the regulator answered: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and know what's going on, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the oversight body would choose to cooperate with proprietors.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an particular organization, an specific proprietor, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you review the record of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their teams and eventually decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the team's chairman in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish rapidly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been invested for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of England. But concurrently, if you consult with top flight officials after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, actually, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the political party in recent years.
The chairman provided financial support for Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
