Daithi Regan feels the situation for the Dublin hurlers is "bleak".
They face Cork in their next Allianz Hurling League clash after being convincingly beaten 1-24 to 1-8 by All Ireland champions Tipperary on the opening weekend.
There have been murmurings regarding discontent in Dublin for some time and heading into a tough clash at Pairc Ui Rinn, former Offaly hurler Regan told Off The Ball: "I think on the prospect of travelling to Cork for the next game, it does look like it's very, very bleak at the moment.
"The last thing Dublin need at the moment, to be honest with you, is a relegation. But right now at this moment, you really have to think that unfortunately that's where they're going."
It's a far cry from the Anthony Daly era when Dublin won the 2011 Allianz Hurling League and won the 2013 Leinster championship.
"Anthony Daly is a very unique individual in my view and a very unique manager in that players really love him," said Regan.
"There are different ways you can command respect as a manager and Daly has that uniqueness about him where players really love him but he can still command respect.
"So to be fair to Ger Cunningham, who I believe is a superb coach and have had the pleasure of meeting him on a number of occasions and thinks deeply and passionately about the game and of course has a culture of winning, that's what he would have looked to have brought to Dublin.
"But it was always going to be a really tough ask because I think Anthony got as much as he could out of Dublin with the return of a National League and a provincial final and getting to a couple of All Ireland semi finals - one in which they ran Tipp to within a couple of points. I think he maxed Dublin as much as he could."
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