'We will play a key role in football's future' - newly appointed regulator the regulator's chair
Sheffield Wednesday's persistent issues are seen as a "major concern" and the new football authority is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, the recently named head the official has stated.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was named to the position this week, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The regulator engaged with four supporter groups connected to the Championship side in recent days.
The Championship side have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in this season, with the club delaying salary disbursements on five separate occasions, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a significant problem for EFL and a major challenge for the sport," Kogan told.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for English football and recently we have met fan representatives.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will permit us to bring Sheffield Wednesday - and other clubs referred to us if they warrant scrutiny and dealt with."
Economic Challenges and Proprietorship Status
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman stated during the off-season he would be prepared to relinquish control at Hillsborough, but he has been unable to finalize an agreement with potential new owners.
Missed wage deadlines on time in March and May caused limitations by the league officials in mid-year, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the following recruitment periods, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Official's Viewpoint
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has existed throughout their lifetimes in multiple situations.
"I fully appreciate Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for all the clubs that over recent decades have faced collapse, or nearly ceased operations, for factors unrelated to the fans themselves."
Questioned about whether the oversight body could require an chairman to relinquish a club if they are deemed unsuitable, the regulator answered: "If your question is 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we collect the information and understand the situation, we will."
But the chairman emphasized that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is commence engagement with an specific team, an individual owner, without having the opportunity to collaborate with that chairman to fix the issues that the club's facing and the owner's facing," Kogan said.
"However, realistically, when you examine the past of football, over the past few decades there have been some owners, few in number, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their organizations and finally refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Wednesday followers have been demonstrating against the current proprietor in recent months
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with representatives from 110 clubs to detail the scope 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 football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made necessary will vanish swiftly," the regulator warned.
"And that's what nobody wants in the context of the English game is a huge success story - we need to continue the progress.
"There's an enormous amount of money flowing into the game and has been invested for the past two decades, because there's no guarantee it will persist in entering the game, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to take a really clear view on risk and of course, of the immediate future."
Elite Division Worries
Elite division representatives objected to the formation of an authority because of concerns about detrimental effects on the top-flight's competitiveness, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the prosperity and expansion as an economic entity of the Premier League.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the top flight as an elite competition of this country. But simultaneously, if you engage with division representatives after the recent gathering, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been advising us privately they have a considerable comfort."
Ideological Links
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old provided financial support for Culture Secretary the politician's campaign, along with that of the current Prime Minister.
"I've been completely open about my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that ideological connection terminated the day the official body endorsed my nomination," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any type of partisan engagement."
