Sportsound: New Hearts boss needs 'passion'

Hearts have made former Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel an offer to become their manager.

The Scottish Premiership club's owner, Ann Budge, has held talks with the German about replacing Craig Levein, who was sacked on 31 October.

Barnsley have contacted Hearts to inform them compensation would be due if the 45-year-old took the post.

Interim coach Austin MacPhee will remain in charge for Livingston's visit to Tynecastle on Wednesday.

Levein's former assistant, who has overseen one win and three defeats, admits he is in the dark regarding his future at the club.

"I honestly don't know," he said. "Obviously there are talks going on with other people and I will speak to Mrs Budge again today at some point. If there is anything to be communicated I will always do that with the players. She has very good lines of communication with the senior players as well.

"It's got to be a decision that the board believe in. Just because the manger they want to try to put in post is or isn't available or it's maybe more complicated. They are better trying to get whoever they want for these circumstances, especially with the run of games."

Stendel led Barnsley to promotion to the Championship before leaving in October after a 10-game winless run.

His only previous managerial role was a year in charge of Hannover 96.

After the announcement of a new head coach, Budge will then turn her attention to finding a sporting director, with MacPhee a possible candidate.

Stendel spent the bulk of his playing career with Hannover before being appointed head coach in April 2016 with the club on their way to relegation from the Bundesliga. He was sacked after 17 wins in his 34 matches in charge.

He signed a two-year deal as Barnsley manager in June 2018, clinching promotion with a runners-up finish in League One before being dismissed with the club second bottom in the Championship.

Hearts are 10th in the Scottish Premiership, with just two wins from 14 outings, and only above bottom spot on goal difference.

The Edinburgh club have also interviewed Stuart McCall, Steve Cotterill, Alan Irvine and Neil McCann for their managerial vacancy.

Stendel 'a manager who will stand his ground'- analysis

Andy Giddings, Sports editor, BBC Radio Sheffield on Sportsound

His teams play with a very high press and energy but are also adaptable within that system. He came into a club that had been relegated pretty spectacularly and within a week people were talking very positively about him, about how he conducted himself.

He won promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking. He was very popular with the Barnsley fans and there was a lot of shock and anger when he was sacked.

He is a manager who will stand his ground. On the touchline he will have his say and he doesn't hold back. He's not a new school, scientific kind of coach, he will get the players on his side. I think it would be a very strong appointment.