'Our role is integral to football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The team's ongoing struggles constitute a "significant problem" and the football regulator is looking to gain the ability to examine team situations in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the official has declared.
During an extensive discussion, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, voiced concern towards the club's followers.
Kogan met with four fan organizations associated with the Championship side this week.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in this season, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," the regulator explained.
"Sheffield Wednesday is one of the historic institutions for the English game and this week we have met supporters' organizations.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Proprietorship Status
The team's struggling chairman Dejphon Chansiri 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 interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in March and May resulted in restrictions being imposed by the English Football League (EFL) in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where people are committed to a community organization that has represented their community in multiple situations.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for each organization that since 1992 have gone to the wall, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the followers."
Inquired if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest a club if they are considered unfit, Kogan said: "Should the inquiry concern '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 compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"The final option we would consider is begin intervening in an individual club, 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 regulator explained.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of football, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but some who have been irresponsible in the way which they've been managing their clubs and ultimately decline to assume obligation for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been demonstrating against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to detail the scope of the authority recently and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "substantial involvement" from the National League to the Premier League.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if errors are made, if the sport makes errors, the remarkable development accomplished might evaporate incredibly quickly," Kogan said.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Premier League Concerns
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of concerns about detrimental effects on the elite division's competitive balance, but the regulator stated: "I'm absolutely committed to the achievement and development as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"As someone who appreciates the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But concurrently, if you engage with division representatives after today's meeting, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been telling us in private they have a considerable comfort."
Partisan Associations
Kogan is still facing a "comprehensive investigation" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in recent years.
The chairman donated money to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 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 political affiliation came to an end the day the select committee approved my appointment," the regulator explained.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
