'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's ongoing struggles represent a a "significant problem" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the recently named head the regulator has stated.
Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was recently selected, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporter groups representing the Championship side this week.
The football club have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in this season, with the club missing wage payments on multiple instances, including in September.
"Obviously the club has become a major concern for the league and a major challenge for the sport," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the historic institutions for the English game and this week we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they require examination and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
Wednesday's embattled owner the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at the stadium, but he has not been able to secure a deal with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May led to sanctions by the football authorities in summer, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the subsequent signing windows, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "The position was created for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a community organization that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
Questioned about whether the regulator could force an proprietor to divest a club if they are deemed unsuitable, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is begin intervening in an specific team, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the proprietor's dealing with," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the sport, over the past few decades there have been some owners, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the approach they have taken toward their clubs and ultimately don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Wednesday followers have been voicing opposition to the team's chairman in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the authority recently and stated it constituted a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if we get it wrong, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved necessary will vanish incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been channeled for the past two decades, because there are no assurances it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
Top flight officials resisted the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the top-flight's competitiveness, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an commercial operation of the top division.
"I of all people understand the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But at the same time, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the Labour Party in the past.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any sort of politics."
