Pedro Martins says the time was not right for him to take over as Hull City manager, but has tipped the club to win promotion to the Premier League sooner rather than later.
Following the sacking of manager Shote Arveldaze at the end of last month, the Tigers are now on the lookout for a new manager.
It had for a period, seemed as though that would be Martins, who has been out of work since leaving Greek side Olympiacos at the end of last season.
However, in a statement issued on Friday, Hull owner confirmed that talks with the 52-year-old had fallen through, meaning the Championship club are now continuing their search for Arveldze's replacement.
Now it seems as though Martins believes that this move was not the appropriate one at this moment in time, though he is expecting big things from the club in the near future.
Speaking about the collapse of his potential move to Hull, Martins was quoted by The Yorkshire Evening Post as saying: "It was an honour to have received the invitation to coach a great club, well run and with Premier League structure.
"I am very grateful for the way I was received, particularly in the person of its (chairman), Mr Acun llicali, who did everything in the interest and willingness to hire me as head coach.
"But, unfortunately, at this time, the conditions that would allow an agreement were not met.
"Hull City are a great English club and are in good hands to reach the Premier League sooner than you might expect. Thank you all for your support."
The Verdict
Missing out on Martins does feel like it could prove to be something of a blow for Hull.
The 52-year-old is a manager with a good deal of experience, and who showed during his time with Olympiacos that he is capable of bringing success to a club.
That would have made him a decent candidate for Hull, especially given his international knowledge could have helped with the nature of their squad.
As a result, this is likely to be frustrating for Hull, although you do have to admire the classy nature of the statement given by Martins here.