'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's current difficulties are seen as a "significant problem" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to examine team situations in similar circumstances, the newly appointed chairman the official has announced.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club recently.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in this season, with the club missing wage payments on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for football in England and in recent days we have met fan representatives.
"We are seeking authority... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Monetary Issues and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with interested parties.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the league officials in summer, preventing the club from carrying out any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although those limitations were removed in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I completely understand Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the supporters."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "When asking whether 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the response would be once we assemble the facts and understand the situation, we will."
But the regulator clarified that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the regulator would prefer to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an particular organization, an individual owner, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the challenges confronting the team and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you examine the past of football, over the recent generations there have been some owners, few in number, but some who have been irresponsible in the manner they have operated 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
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
The regulator engaged representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate incredibly quickly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the terms of English football is a substantial accomplishment - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money entering the sport and has been invested for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee 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 challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But concurrently, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in recent years.
The official provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy's leadership campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
