'Our role is integral to 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 investigate clubs in comparable cases, the recently named head the regulator has declared.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, showed understanding towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four supporter groups representing the football team this week.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs brought to our attention if they warrant scrutiny and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman the current owner stated during the off-season he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with prospective buyers.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, blocking the team from conducting any recruitment activities for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in the end of the transfer window.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the supporters of Wednesday, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a community organization that has been part of their lives in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for all the clubs that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for causes separate from the followers."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest 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 collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"Our least desirable course of action is start getting involved with an individual club, an particular chairman, without being able to work with that owner to try and resolve the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"However, realistically, when you look back over the history of the sport, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been some owners, not many, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
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'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because if we get it wrong, if the world of football gets it wrong, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate rapidly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"Considerable investment flowing into the game and has been invested for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will keep flowing into the sport, which is one of the reasons why I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the next two or three years."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the elite division's competitive balance, but Kogan said: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the worry about compromising the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Political Connections
The regulator remains subject to a "full inquiry" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for government minister the politician's campaign, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
