Former Tottenham striker Frederic Kanoute believes Spurs must "look into the mirror" and take responsibility as they look to win their first trophy since 2008.
Kanoute, now 47, made 72 appearances for Spurs between August 2003 and 2005. He scored 22 goals, parterning lethal duo Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe in the final third.
The 38-time Mali international, who was also named 2007 African Footballer of the Year, is now working with LALIGA and Bloomsbury Football to help get more young children active.
At the launch of a second football site at Harris Academy St John’s Wood in north-west London, the former Spurs forward told VAVEL that they must take responsibility in an attempt to end their barren trophy draught, admitting that he doesn't believe their past few managers, including Ange Postecoglou, are bad coaches.
"They are stuck in a certain position, even though sometimes we think they're going to finally find a way up. I think sometimes things have to be to be found more in the organisation and the management of the club itself, and have a clear direction," he told the site.
"I don't know what's happening, so I'm not even criticising, but I think sometimes going on the coach, because we know he's done some great work in the past few years, and all of a sudden he's not a good coach anymore.
"I don't really buy into that. Sometimes you can be a little bit singled out as a coach and you accept that, but also you have to go a little bit deeper sometimes. The club itself has to look into the mirror as well and try to take responsibility."
Spurs currently sit 14th in the Premier League, with their only hope of tangible success coming in the form of the Europa League. They host Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
Kanoute's work with LALIGA and Bloomsbury Football reaches new heights
Kanoute has been retired since 2013 after an illustrious career that included spells at Spurs, West Ham and Sevilla. While countless professional athletes look to set off into the sunset, the Malian likes to help the community.
The programme from LALIGA and Bloomsbury Football, who engage with over 5,000 young people in London weekly, has been running since 2022, and it has welcomed in more than 200 youngsters in a bid to support the growth of grassroots football.
The new site, which Kanoute was speaking at on Saturday, will facilitate 16 participating teams in a league, supported by a record number of LALIGA clubs. Access to football remains at the forefront of the programme's mission.
Kanoute, who is also a consultant for grassroots projects in Mali and Zambia, is delighted with the impact of the event.
"I think the partnership with Bloomsbury Football is very positive. What attracted me was the social impact. Of course, there's a technical impact and allows kids to develop their football on the technical side, but as well, giving access to more kids and tackling that financial gap," he said. "I think it's a very positive initiative."
The former striker later added that he is hopeful it will stop kids from getting involved in the wrong activities.
He said: "We're hopefully going to see that there are things that are difficult to see from your own eyes because maybe some of those kids, we never know what they would have done if they wouldn't have come to train on a regular basis and have a positive activity like this."