Wolves frustrated as Hearts' trading plans paralysed by manager void

Hearts have been virtually paralysed by a lack of leadership during this torturous close season, with all potential transfer dealings - in and out of the club - left stalled.

Sportsmail can reveal that clubs and agents trying to do business with the Vladimir Romanov regime have been left furious and frustrated by a complete inability to get answers from anyone at Tynecastle.

One club trying to bid for a Hearts player was given five different contacts for negotiations, complete with five different telephone numbers and two fax numbers for written bids.

Hearts stopping: Wolves believe they are being 'thwarted' in their efforts to sign Christophe Berra

No one contacted had the authority to make a decision, however, and no indication was given of when Romanov's approval for any deal might be forthcoming.

The Hearts kingpin has been directly involved in the search for a new head coach, although his latest target, Jurgen Rober, is now distancing himself from the job.

While Romanov is trying and failing to appoint a manager, it seems as if no business is being done back at base, leaving several players in limbo.

Andrew Driver remains on the radar of Burnley, while club captain Christophe Berra is wanted by Wolves - and is growing impatient with the lack of activity.

Even handing in a transfer request, one of the options open to Berra, is fraught with difficulty, as no one is sure which member of staff would deal with these issues.

Wolves are just as frustrated, chief executive Jez Moxley admitting: 'We're being thwarted by the other side's lack of response.'

Agents seeking to offer players to Hearts are finding the going just as tough, with one telling Sportsmail: 'No one seems to know what's going on there. You get the impression no one is even in direct contact with Romanov.'

Hearts do have a sport director, Anatoly Korobochka, nominally in charge of the football department.

But they have been without even a caretaker manager since Stevie Frail was ordered to stay away from pre-season training last week.

That appears to have completely frozen all player movement, while Romanov's attempts to find a head coach capable of working within his empire continue to come up empty.

German coach Rober diplomatically distanced himself from the job after a lengthy meeting with Romanov in Lithuania, saying: 'I have my opinions on how to coach and he has his ideas.

'Unfortunately, these ideas would not come together. Romanov has a different thought on how to move the club forward. I had this feeling that we couldn't come together.'

Romanov has abandoned his publicly-stated intention to appoint a 'British-style' manager and, with few western European coaches keen to become part of his tightly-controlled structure, the search is likely to narrow - pushing current FBK Kaunas assistant Andrei Zygmantovich higher up the running.

Former Tynecastle director of football Jim Duffy, meanwhile, fears that the current uncertainty might kill any hope Hearts have of making an impact this season.

'The most important part of any season is now, before a ball is kicked in anger,' said Duffy. 'If you don't get pre-season training and preparation right, you can kill your season before it starts.

'This is the most vital time for any team. Yet you have Hearts telling Stevie Frail to stay away.

'Unless Hearts appoint a manager or head coach immediately, next season could be ruined for them before it even starts. Stevie has been very badly treated. But nothing shocks you anymore regarding Hearts.

'That's the real sadness about it all. Stevie has displayed great dignity throughout his entire time at Tynecastle. It's a dreadful reflection on the club when you consider they used to be one of the great institutions of Scottish football.'

Duffy's concerns were echoed by former Hearts chairman Lord Foulkes who believes the club will only ever attract a 'puppet' manager while Romanov sticks to his policy of interfering from on high.

Foulkes, who was instrumental in helping the Lithuania-based Russian take over at Tynecastle, said: 'Vladimir Romanov is reaping what he has sown. The only person who will take the job at the moment will be a puppet from one of the eastern European countries like Russia, Belarus or Lithuania. His reputation goes before him and potential managers take note of how he has treated previous managers, George Burley in particular.

'Any manager worth his salt will want a free hand to choose his own players and put his own ideas into action. I believe, and a majority of Hearts fans believe, that Romanov has to change his views.

'Despite the promise he made in January about looking for a British-style manager, it is clear that prospective managers are wary of taking the job on.'