'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the new chairman
Sheffield Wednesday's current difficulties are seen as a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was named to the position this week, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations representing the football team recently.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the iconic names for English football and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be prepared to relinquish control at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months caused limitations by the league officials in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the followers."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is commence engagement with an particular organization, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of football, over the recent generations there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the future."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the current proprietor in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the authority recently and insisted it was a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish swiftly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the chairman responded: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But concurrently, if you talk to the Premier League after today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"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 type of partisan engagement."
