Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs legend Mark Tovey believes the club need a revamp after falling behind both Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns in South African football.

Chiefs endured another poor campaign as they finished ninth while also losing in the Nedbank Cup final to TS Galaxy.

It was the fourth consecutive season without a trophy and it has left many Amakhosi fans frustrated and downbeat.

Tovey also said that current coach Ernst Middendorp is not solely to blame for the crisis though he had to shoulder some responsibility.

Speaking to Kickoff, the 64-year-old said: "Ja look this is not his fault, he has inherited a team that he couldn't change okay.

"You need to look at other areas, the management, and not him. I'm talking about the upper level and then the players themselves. Players themselves don't understand the quality and then the privileges of playing for Kaizer Chiefs, first and foremost. They have no idea.

"Secondly, they are recruited by people that might not have an understanding about the game, they need to take a look at themselves. I haven't seen every game so I can [only] see by the results of Chiefs, and results of Pirates and results of Sundowns... Pirates are far ahead of Chiefs, and Sundowns are further ahead of Pirates.

"So that's how far back Chiefs are. They never used to be that way. They need to take a real hard look at themselves you know, they have to understand what it is to play for Kaizer Chiefs. The blame lies with the players first and foremost, and other people too. The other people that secure the players for Chiefs... they are not good enough. The players they don't understand... they don't know how to win, they don't understand what a privilege it is.

"I do think the coach needs to have a different attitude. I think he looks to be too sad, and that's not going to instil confidence in anybody. He has to look at himself in the mirror first and foremost and be happy. He needs to instil a little bit of hope. But I can understand to a degree because I can see some of the players are not good, are not adapting to his tactics or his methodology on how he wants to play the game."