'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the football team this week.
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 the autumn.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and recently we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor the current owner suggested earlier this year he would be open to selling the club at the stadium, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the football authorities in June, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in the end of the transfer window.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The position was created for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I completely understand the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, 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 understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an individual club, an particular chairman, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the challenges confronting the team and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been certain proprietors, not many, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the future."
Wednesday followers have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate incredibly quickly," the regulator warned.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we've got to keep it going.
"Considerable investment entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I fully support the success and growth as an commercial operation of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Political Connections
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any form of political activity."
