You need a big personality to manage a big squad of big-name players and Avram Grant does not possess one.

Chelsea were catapulted into the elite clique of clubs once known as the G14 by Roman Abrahmovic's disposable income and Jose Mourinho's tactical acumen, but the Grant gamble looks set to fail.

I think that even if you told the Stamford Bridge supporters who regularly show disdain for Grant that they would go to Moscow and win the Champions League - a trophy even the Special One could not deliver - they wouldn't change their opinion.

They have seen the complete lack of authority the Israeli displays in the technical area as he waves his arms around like a tramp attempting to conduct the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

At what point he lost the dressing room is irrelevant, he probably never had it - and one recent TV appearance really showed me the extent of how little respect he and Henk Ten Cate command at Cobham.

The Soccer AM cameras were down at Chelsea training on Sport Relief day to capture the multi-millionaires have a crack at the Crossbar Challenge (a hugely successful feature brought to our screens by a pal of mine).

Michael Ballack, Ashley Cole and co all had their efforts - most of them reasonably close without grazing the woodwork - before it was the turn of the Blues coaches right at the end.

As Ten Cate stepped up he had to dodge a barrage of balls fired towards his head by the players - a sign maybe he's not the most well-liked man on the staff ? But as Grant approached the cameras to state his name and role, the likes of Terry and Cole could be seen openly laughing in anticipation of what was to come.

Sure enough, the manager failed to hit the bar - in fact he almost failed to kick the ball as the ground shook and it bobbled out of shot to the left to hoots of derision.

Maybe it was just a bad connection, but I was left with the feeling that there's never been a connection between Grant and his Mourinho-made squad.   

While it's unlikely they'll ever find another like him, Chelsea must know they have to recruit a coach with gravitas, a few medals in his coat pocket and an ability to kick a ball straight when they put Grant out to pasture.

I'll keep my ear to the ground and blog about the contenders later this week - SB