Much-travelled manager Howard Kendall was set to join Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus but changed his mind only hours after agreeing to boost their flagging fortunes.

Club spokesman Loris Kyriakou said Kendall had signalled his agreement to come to Cyprus and take over the troubled team, but that he had a change of heart just four hours later.

The club, who won the Cyprus Cup last season and were runners-up to Anorthosis Famagusta in the league, had earlier stunned the local football world by announcing Kendall's recruitment, but later said that Kendall, had cited family problems for turning down the job.

"We got a fax from Kendall at nine o'clock in the morning saying how thrilled he was about coming here but he later phoned up the chairman saying he couldn't take the job," Kyriakou told Cyprus radio.

Kendall led Everton to the English league title in 1985 and 1987, the FA Cup in 1984 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1985.

The 54-year-old has also coached Blackburn Rovers, Athletic Bilbao, Manchester City, Sheffield United, Everton for a second spell, Xanthi in Greece and Notts County.

In 1964 aged just 17 he became the youngest player for 85 years to appear in the FA Cup final when he was in the Preston North End team beaten 3-2 by West Ham United.

He won a championship medal with Everton as a player in 1970 when he comprised a memorable midfield with Colin Harvey and Alan Ball and is widely regarded as one of the best uncapped English players of the last 40 years.

Omonia sacked Bulgarian coach Dimitrov Asprouhov last week after a dismal showing this season. They are currently seventh on the division table with 11 points.