Shane McGrath believes that "something seriously needs to change" in Waterford after the county slipped to their third successive defeat in the Munster hurling championship.
The Déise have yet to advance from the province in four editions of the round-robin format, winning just one of their 15 group games to date.
Saturday's loss to Clare ensured they will finish bottom of the table this year, even if they could pull off what looks an unlikely victory over Tipperary in two weeks' time.
"They are in a bad place. It doesn't seem to be getting any better," McGrath told the RTÉ GAA podcast.
"I don't know if they know what their identity is at the moment, as players. They don't seem to have a structure.
"Talking to Waterford people, it’s clear to see that the fans aren’t happy. They’re not going to the games.
"The one thing they always had was massive support, brought great colour and atmosphere. The hurling people just aren't supporting the team at the moment.
"It's a very bad year for Waterford. It's a bad year underage, having not won a match. Something seriously needs to change.
"The players are trying their best. They’re not going out to lose. But it’s just not happening, at all grades."
Jackie Tyrell suggested on The Saturday Game that the Waterford players had let management down in the heavy reversals to Cork and Clare but former Premier County midfielder McGrath also questioned some of the tactical choices by manager Davy Fitzgerald.
"I just don't understand their setup," he said.
"Tony Kelly has to be stopped, from a Clare point of view. Tipp did it in Ennis with Cathal Barrett. Kilkenny did it last year with Mikey Butler.
"I don't understand the choice of Darragh Lyons being the guy to set out to try and do this for Waterford. He’s not a man-marker, it’s not in his game. It didn’t work at all. He’s playing around midfield normally. I wouldn’t have been comfortable being a man-marker.
"When you’re a man down and down 10 or 11 points, to continue to play a sweeper, I don’t understand that either.
"Tadhg De Burca is the best sweeper in the country, in my opinion. Obviously, he’s a massive loss [injured Achilles]. But they just don’t seem to be comfortable when it’s 1 v 1. Clare’s goal in the first half, they were turned over, it’s a 2 v 2 situation, they’re used to the comfort of that extra defender there and they’re not able to deal with it, Clare get a goal, very well finished by Ian Galvin.
"Stephen Bennett is a top top player. He's very good at the frees but again he didn’t score from play on Saturday. Dessie Hutchinson is one of the top inside forwards in the country and we’re rarely seeing him play as an inside forward.
"Their physical fitness doesn't seem to be able to match up to other inter-county teams.
"It's a snowball effect."
McGrath felt that Waterford were unlucky to lose to champions Limerick first day out but that the defeat took a physical and psychological toll they were unable tor recover from.
"For me, they played their All-Ireland final against Limerick. That would have been the game that they targeted. They went at it hard and picked up injuries.
"Being the better team on the day and still coming away being the losers… I think they were spent after it."
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