Don Goodman has questioned Swansea City's owners after admitting he does not understand the current direction the club are taking.
Following what was a wretched 3-0 loss to Stoke City on Tuesday night, Swansea remain 10 points adrift of the Championship play-offs with just 17 matches left to play.
They are also 15 points clear of the second tier's relegation zone, meaning they are firmly consolidated in mid-table following back-to-back play-off campaigns in the previous two campaigns.
It comes after a frustrating January transfer window that ultimately left Russell Martin's squad very thin in certain areas.
"I look at Swansea and it isn't that long ago they were in the Premier League," Goodman said on the Sky Sports EFL Podcast.
"I ask myself, what do Swansea City want, what do they want to be?
"Do they want to be a mid-Championship football club because the last two seasons under Steve Cooper they finished sixth and fourth.
"It was definitely a massive over-achievement with what they had at their disposal.
"Steve Cooper left for a reason. He didn't feel he was going to get the relevant backing from Swansea City's board to progress that football club."
Jamie Paterson's recent absence proved to be a nagging issue throughout the winter market - with the 30-year-old frustrated over the lack of improved terms in his new contract.
And Goodman has said he was left concerned about the financial state of the club after they failed to increase Paterson's wages following his impressive efforts in the opening half of the campaign.
"What's happened with Jamie Paterson smacks to me of a club who are working on a very restricted budget, because when you've got one of your best players and you're not prepared to give him a pay rise after what he's achieved so far this season, then I don't know, I questioned that," added Goodman.
"When Russell Martin says Jamie Paterson has been ill-advised, he's probably right. His advisers should have got, in that contract, that when they agree to activate the extension in the contract that there was an automatic pay rise. For me that's where they went wrong.
"What that contract means is he's only getting an extension if he's doing well so therefore he deserves the pay rise. Both sides are at fault.
"Swansea have missed one of their best players for the last half a dozen games or so and it's seen them slip down the table."
Russell Martin's men return to action against Bristol City at the Swansea.com Stadium on Sunday. Kick-off is at 1pm.
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