Ryan Giggs was snubbed in his attempts to start a management career after Swansea fired Francesco Guidolin on his birthday and hired the American Bob Bradley.
Manchester United legend Giggs was confident of landing his first permanent post having held an interview with Swans chairman Huw Jenkins last week.
But after Swansea axed Guidolin on Monday morning, the US-based owners turned instead to Bradley, who will become the first American to manage in the Premier League.
It is a crushing blow for Giggs, who was understood to have pencilled in a backroom team — to be led by former United team-mate Nicky Butt — in the event of landing the job.