'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
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, its new chair the regulator has declared.
Through a comprehensive talk, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations connected to the Championship side recently.
The Championship side have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on multiple instances, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a major challenge for the sport," the regulator explained.
"The club represents one of the great brands for the English game and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring the club and similar situations referred to us if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman the Thai businessman suggested earlier this year he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Missed wage deadlines on time in earlier this year resulted in restrictions being imposed by the football authorities in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Authority's Position
Kogan said: "Our role exists to serve the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, other clubs in similar situations where fans are dedicated to a local institution that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or nearly ceased operations, for reasons that have nothing to do with the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an owner to sell a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "When asking whether '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 Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the owner's facing," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the game, over the past few decades there have been particular chairmen, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against the team's chairman in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the regulator on Wednesday and stated it constituted 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 could disappear rapidly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we need to continue the progress.
"Substantial financial resources flowing into the game 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 among the factors explaining I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the establishment of an oversight body because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I fully support the achievement and development as an financial organization of the elite league.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of this country. 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, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he disclosed making donations to the Labour Party in recent years.
The chairman provided financial support for government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
