'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "significant problem" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to investigate clubs in similar circumstances, the recently named head the official has announced.
Through a comprehensive talk, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club this week.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a major concern for the league and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the iconic names for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in June, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in August.
Official's Viewpoint
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has existed throughout their lifetimes in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for reasons that have nothing to do with the fans themselves."
When asked if the regulator could force an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we gather the evidence and know what's going on, we will."
But the regulator clarified that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the regulator would prefer to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the sport, over the recent generations there have been some owners, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the current proprietor during the current campaign
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
The regulator engaged delegates from multiple organizations to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "progressive gathering" with a "significant participation" from the National League to the Premier League.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished could disappear incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been channeled for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the creation of a regulator because of fears of a negative impact on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the division as a high-quality offering of the nation. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been informing us confidentially they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "full inquiry" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the political party in recent years.
The chairman donated money to government minister Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the government leader.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the regulator explained.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
