Analysis
BBC's chief football writer Phil McNulty
Unai Emery's decision to stay at Villarreal rather than take over as Newcastle United's new manager is a bitter blow to the club's Saudi Arabian hierarchy and continues a faltering start to their time in charge.
In a blizzard of optimistic messages coming out of the north-east of England on Tuesday, it seemed Emery would find the attraction of Tyneside impossible to resist and he would be in his post before the end of the week to oversee the great revival.
There was even a video unearthed of Emery supposedly gazing wistfully around St James' Park during his time at Arsenal, presumably suggesting that this was the place he was always destined to come.
Not quite.
It emerged in Spain, after Emery had guided Villarreal to victory over Young Boys of Berne in the Champions League on Tuesday night, that this was not quite the done deal and he was supposedly less than impressed by the lack of a clear vision in Newcastle's future plan.
The confirmation of this damaging setback came in statement from Emery re-affirming his commitment to Villarreal, leaving Newcastle's money-no-object owners to leaf through the list of candidates below Emery on their list.
This has been a less-than-ideal dawn to this brave new world at Newcastle United, with Steve Bruce's inevitable sacking delayed, more poor results and their top target staying put in Spain.
The usual suspects will now be rounded up, with former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe the early alternative, but they will all know they are second choice at best after Emery's very public rejection of any interest Newcastle had shown.
Newcastle cannot afford any more mis-steps. They need to get their new man in and quickly because, just in case anyone has forgotten amid the hysteria and jubilation of former owner Mike Ashley's departure, they have a team that currently has "relegation" stamped over it and all the money in the world might not help them unless they stay in the Premier League this season.
