'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator the new chairman
The Championship club's current difficulties represent a a "major concern" and the football regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in such situations, the newly appointed chairman the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards the club's followers.
The chairman convened with four fan organizations representing the Championship side in recent days.
The football club have been struggling on and off the field in this season, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in the autumn.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a significant problem for football," the chairman stated.
"The club represents one of the historic institutions for football in England and this week we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will allow us to have the club and similar situations submitted for our review if they warrant scrutiny and acted upon."
Financial Struggles and Leadership Concerns
Wednesday's embattled owner the current owner indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at Hillsborough, but he has not been able to secure a deal with interested parties.
Delayed salary payments on time in earlier this year caused limitations by the English Football League (EFL) in summer, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the following recruitment periods, although that restriction was lifted in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "Our role exists to serve the supporters of Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a local institution that has represented their community in many cases.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for every team that over recent decades have faced collapse, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
When asked if the oversight body could require an proprietor to divest 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 know what's going on, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be considered the final option and the authority would rather to collaborate with owners.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an specific team, an specific proprietor, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that proprietor to address the problems affecting the organization and the chairman's encountering," the chairman stated.
"In actuality, when you look back over the history of football, over the recent generations there have been some owners, few in number, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the approach they have taken toward their organizations and finally decline to assume obligation for the future."
Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been protesting against owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to lay out the remit of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "progressive gathering" with a "substantial involvement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"It's a job that's actually really important, because should mistakes occur, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made could disappear swiftly," the chairman stated.
"Such an outcome is universally undesirable in the context of the English game is a major achievement - we've got to keep it going.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because certainty is lacking it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on potential dangers and naturally, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the elite league.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But at the same time, if you talk to the Premier League after the recent gathering, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, in fact, they have been informing us confidentially they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "comprehensive investigation" by the official appointments authority after he acknowledged providing funds to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any type of partisan engagement."
