Nathan Blake feels Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut’s “hands are tied” given the club’s failure to bring in any players so far during the transfer window.
Bulut has regularly stated his desire to add to his squad in the winter window, although with two-thirds of January now gone, Cardiff are yet to sign a player.
“The manager has been talking about bringing in players in the January transfer window since early December, maybe late November,” Blake said on BBC Radio Wales.
“You try and keep those cards close to your chest but I think it’s probably as a result of trying to convince the owner to do some business.
“He’s probably come in with the assumption that, come January, we’ll make the squad a bit stronger and move forward. He’s trying to embed himself in the club while progressing, but it’s just not happening.
“He’s blindfolded, his hands are tied. He’s not sure what’s happening.”
Blake’s comments come after Bulut said”some things have to change” at the club following Cardiff’s 3-1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle.
“Where does he go from here? The next step is ‘I have to start questioning myself and my own future’,” added former Wales and Cardiff striker Blake.
“I’ll still maintain, I think he can get more out of this team. These players earlier on in the season were doing far better than what they’re doing now, and I don’t think they’ve really improved from a coaching perspective.
“But at the same time, if he doesn’t feel he’s getting backed or the club has a plan to move forward, then it’s almost ‘what’s the point?’ and I think that’s what you’re hearing from him now.
“He’s starting to question whether it’s worthwhile for him to be here because there doesn’t seem to be any sort of plan in place.”