'We are going to be a part of football's future' - independent football regulator David Kogan
Sheffield Wednesday's ongoing struggles are seen as a "major concern" and the football regulator is aiming to acquire authority to examine team situations in similar circumstances, the recently named head the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, Kogan, who was recently selected, showed understanding towards supporters of the Owls.
The chairman convened with four supporters' associations connected to the Championship side in recent days.
The team have been facing challenges both on and off the pitch in the current year, with the club missing wage payments on several different times, including in September.
"Clearly Sheffield Wednesday has been a serious issue for football authorities and a substantial concern for English football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for the English game and recently we have met Sheffield Wednesday supporters' groups.
"We're now looking to get powers... which will enable us to take Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and acted upon."
Economic Challenges and Leadership Concerns
The club's controversial proprietor the Thai businessman indicated in the summer he would be willing to sell up at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with potential new owners.
Delayed salary payments on time in spring months caused limitations by the league officials in mid-year, blocking the team from conducting any transfers or loans for the next three transfer windows, although that restriction was lifted in August.
Official's Viewpoint
The regulator explained: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has existed throughout their lifetimes in numerous instances.
"I have absolute sympathy for Sheffield Wednesday, as I do for every team that in modern times have encountered failure, or been close to going to the wall, for causes separate from the followers."
Questioned about whether the authority might compel an owner to sell a club if they are considered unfit, the chairman responded: "Should the inquiry concern 'would we intervene in the final instance?', the answer is once we assemble the facts and comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But Kogan stressed that compelling proprietors to divest clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the authority would rather to cooperate with proprietors.
"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 proprietor to address the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," Kogan said.
"In actuality, when you review the record of the sport, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, a small minority, but particular people who have shown negligence in the manner they have operated their clubs and ultimately refuse to accept accountability for the long-term prospects."
Owls fans have been protesting against the current proprietor in recent months
'If we get it wrong, extraordinary progress vanishes'
Kogan met with officials from numerous teams to lay out the remit of the oversight body this week and stated it constituted a "proactive meeting" with a "high level of engagement" from the grassroots to elite level.
"The role holds considerable importance, because if we get it wrong, if the football community fails, the extraordinary progress that's been made might evaporate rapidly," Kogan said.
"And that's what nobody wants in the realm of domestic football is a substantial accomplishment - we must maintain momentum.
"Considerable investment coming into football and has come into football for the last 20 or 25 years, because there are no assurances it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to maintain a focused outlook on challenges and obviously, of the immediate future."
Top Flight Apprehensions
Top flight officials resisted the establishment of an oversight body because of apprehensions regarding adverse consequences on the Premier League's sporting equality, but Kogan said: "I fully support the prosperity and expansion as an financial organization of the Premier League.
"I of all people understand the apprehension regarding damaging the top flight as an elite competition of the nation. But simultaneously, if you talk to the Premier League after this week's discussion, they would have had a substantial amount of confidence -and, indeed, they have been advising us privately they have a high level of reassurance."
Political Connections
Kogan is still facing a "thorough examination" by the public appointments commissioner after he revealed he contributed money to the Labour Party in the past.
The chairman provided financial support for Culture Secretary the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
"I have been entirely transparent regarding my former ideological connection [with Labour], and that party membership ceased the day the select committee approved my appointment," Kogan said.
"I am no longer involved in any type of partisan engagement."
