Cardiff City squad 'not good enough' says Kevin Ratcliffe

Peter Whittingham (left) and Craig Noone (right) look on dejected after Cardiff's 3-0 defeat by Bolton

Former Wales and Everton captain Kevin Ratcliffe believes Cardiff are in danger of being relegated next season.

The Bluebirds lost 3-0 at home to Bolton on Monday and are now 13th in the table with five games to go.

Ratcliffe, who was at the Cardiff City Stadium for the match, thinks the current squad is "not good enough" to stay in the Championship.

"If they keep the bunch of players that they've got I do fear for them next year," Ratcliffe told BBC Wales Sport.

After a goalless first half, Bolton caught Cardiff after the re-start, prompting some fans to direct chants of: "You don't know what you're doing" at manager Russell Slade following Bolton's third goal.

Ratcliffe, who made 25 appearances for Cardiff City in the 1992-93 season, is concerned for the Bluebirds.

"We've seen the club being asset-stripped, players going out, loaned out and the players that are here are not good enough," he said.

"They are not good enough to actually stay in this division.

Everton skipper Kevin Ratcliffe (left) shakes hands with Liverpool captain Ronnie Whelan (right) before the 1989 FA Cup final

"I must admit that they are a long way off when I have seen them here in the past.

"It's most probably the weakest strike force I've seen since coming to watch Cardiff play.

"They need to get to grips with it."

Slade is set to travel to Malaysia to hold talks at the end of the season with the club's owner, Vincent Tan.

Ratcliffe, who won the last of his 59 caps for Wales in 1993, says whoever is at the helm needs to ensure the club's Championship status at all costs.

"Apparently the money that Russell Slade is on is a pittance for this level," added Ratcliffe.

"Is he just a stop-gap to come in and take the brunt of things and soldier on and somebody else comes in for next year?

"This club's got to stay in the Championship.

"If it doesn't stay in the Championship then you're going to be playing in front of crowds of less than 10,000 here and you're going back to the dark old days."