'We will play a key role in football's future' - football oversight chief the regulator's chair
The team's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the new football authority is aiming to acquire authority to look into club affairs in similar circumstances, its new chair the regulator has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the regulator, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four supporters' associations representing the South Yorkshire club recently.
The team have been experiencing difficulties in multiple areas in the current year, with the club failing to pay players on time on five separate occasions, including in last month.
"Obviously the club has become a significant problem for EFL and a substantial concern for English football," the chairman stated.
"Wednesday stands as one of the great brands for the English game and recently we have met fan representatives.
"Our aim is to acquire the ability... which will enable us to take the club and similar situations brought to our attention if they need to be investigated and addressed."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The club's controversial proprietor 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.
Failure to pay player wages on time in earlier this year led to sanctions by the English Football League (EFL) in June, stopping Wednesday from completing any player acquisitions for the next three transfer windows, although the ban was rescinded in August.
Regulator's Perspective
The chairman stated: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Bury or any football club where supporters are loyal to a community organization that has represented their community in numerous instances.
"I fully appreciate the team's plight, as I do for each organization that in modern times have encountered failure, or approached financial ruin, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
When asked if the regulator could force 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 comprehend the circumstances, we will."
But the regulator clarified that requiring chairmen to relinquish clubs would be viewed as the ultimate measure and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"Our least desirable course of action is begin intervening in an particular organization, an particular chairman, without being in a position to cooperate with that owner to try and resolve the issues that the club's facing and the chairman's encountering," the regulator explained.
"But the truth is, when you examine the past of football, over the past few decades there have been certain proprietors, 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 coming years."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to the current proprietor in recent months
'Errors may undo substantial development'
The chairman convened with representatives from 110 clubs to explain the responsibilities of the authority recently and insisted it was a "proactive meeting" with a "significant participation" from the grassroots to elite level.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the world of football gets it wrong, the remarkable development accomplished necessary will vanish rapidly," the regulator warned.
"This represents everyone's worst fear in the realm of domestic football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources entering the sport and has been invested for the past two decades, because certainty is lacking it will keep flowing into the sport, which is among the factors explaining I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the next two or three years."
Premier League Concerns
The Premier League opposed the creation of a regulator because of concerns about detrimental effects on the Premier League's sporting equality, but the regulator stated: "I completely endorse the success and growth as an financial organization of the top division.
"Being fully aware of the concern of undermining the division as a high-quality offering of this country. But simultaneously, if you consult with top flight officials after this week's discussion, they would have had a significant degree of comfort -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Ideological Links
The regulator remains subject to a "thorough examination" by the official appointments authority after he disclosed making donations to the opposition group in recent years.
The 68-year-old donated money to 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 ideological connection terminated the day the parliamentary committee confirmed my selection," the chairman stated.
"I currently have no participation in any sort of politics."
