'We will play a key role in football's future' - independent football regulator the regulator's chair
The team's ongoing struggles are seen as a "serious issue" and the independent regulator is seeking powers to look into club affairs in comparable cases, the recently named head the official has declared.
In a wide-ranging interview, the chairman, who was appointed on Monday, expressed "sympathy" towards Wednesday's fanbase.
Kogan met with four fan organizations representing the football team this week.
The team have been struggling on and off the field in the current year, with the club delaying salary disbursements on multiple instances, including in September.
"Evidently Wednesday represents a serious issue for football authorities and a significant problem for football," Kogan told.
"The club represents one of the iconic names for football in England and recently we have met supporters' organizations.
"We are seeking authority... which will permit us to bring Wednesday and comparable cases submitted for our review if they need to be investigated and dealt with."
Financial Struggles and Ownership Situation
The team's struggling chairman the current owner indicated in the summer he would be open to selling the club at their home ground, but he has failed to complete a sale with prospective buyers.
Failure to pay player wages on time in spring months caused limitations by the football authorities in mid-year, preventing the club from carrying out any transfers or loans for the subsequent signing windows, although those limitations were removed in late summer.
Regulator's Perspective
Kogan said: "The job [of the regulator] is there for the Owls followers, teams facing challenges where fans are dedicated to a regional establishment that has been part of their lives in many cases.
"I have absolute sympathy for the team's plight, as I do for each organization that over recent decades have faced collapse, or been close to going to the wall, for factors unrelated to the supporters."
When asked if the authority might compel an chairman to relinquish a club if they are considered unfit, the regulator answered: "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 Kogan stressed that forcing owners to sell clubs would be treated as a "last resort" and the oversight body would choose to work with them.
"The last thing what we want to do is start getting involved with an individual club, an specific proprietor, without being in a position to cooperate with that chairman to fix the problems affecting the organization and the proprietor's dealing with," Kogan said.
"But the truth is, when you review the record of the game, over the last 20 or 30 years there have been particular chairmen, a small minority, but certain individuals who have acted carelessly in the way which they've been managing their organizations and finally don't wish to take responsibility for the coming years."
Owls fans have been voicing opposition to owner Dejphon Chansiri this season
'Mistakes could erase significant advances'
Kogan met with delegates from multiple organizations to detail the scope of the authority recently and maintained it represented a "forward-thinking discussion" with a "high level of engagement" from the lower divisions to the top flight.
"This position carries substantial significance, because should mistakes occur, if the sport makes errors, the significant advances achieved might evaporate rapidly," the chairman stated.
"And that's what nobody wants in the terms of English football is a major achievement - we must maintain momentum.
"Substantial financial resources coming into football and has come into football for the recent generations, because there's no guarantee it will continue to come into football, which is part of the rationale behind I think we have to adopt a precise perspective on challenges and obviously, of the coming seasons."
Elite Division Worries
The Premier League opposed the formation of an authority because of fears of a negative impact on the elite division's competitive balance, but the chairman responded: "I'm absolutely committed to the success and growth as an commercial operation of the top division.
"I of all people understand 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 today's meeting, they would have had a high level of reassurance -and, actually, they have been telling us in private they have a significant confidence."
Partisan Associations
The chairman continues to confront a "thorough examination" by the Commissioner for Public Appointments after he revealed he contributed money to the political party in 2020.
The 68-year-old contributed funds to government minister the minister's leadership bid, along with that of the government leader.
"I have fully disclosed my previous political affiliation [with Labour], and that political affiliation came to an end the day the official body endorsed my nomination," Kogan said.
"I am presently disconnected from any sort of politics."
