Hearts defender Christophe Berra hopes a "British-style" manager takes over at Tynecastle after Mark McGhee chose to remain at Motherwell.

The 51-year-old was ready to board a flight to Lithuania to hold talks with Hearts majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov when he had a change of heart.

McGhee has since agreed a new, improved deal with the Lanarkshire club, leaving Stephen Frail as caretaker boss at Gorgie.

Since Lithuanian businessman Romanov took over at Tynecastle in 2005, Lithuanian Valdas Ivanauskas and Russians Eduard Malofeev and Anatoli Korobochka have had spells in charge.

Berra, 23, in the Scotland squad for the trip to Prague to play the Czech Republic in a friendly on Friday, is hoping the next manager at Hearts is homegrown.

He said: "The club wanted Mark McGhee but he made the decision to stay at Motherwell and all credit to him.

"There are other good managers out there who can do a job and hopefully when someone does get appointed they can take the club forward.

"I think it would be good to get a British-style manager who would come in and know what it takes to compete in the SPL.

"But they've got to make the right decision. It's very important that the manager is in place for pre-season because if he is not, then comes in two or three weeks later, then it might be hard to bring in his own style of play."

Berra believes Hearts should have no problem attracting the right calibre of boss.

He said: "We are a big club, we have a big fanbase, a nice stadium and an academy.

"We have the potential to be a very big club, but we probably need a manager in place with his own backroom staff who is going to take the club forward and who will improve players individually.

"Over the past two or three seasons there has been instability, but since Christmas Stevie Frail took charge and we didn't lose many games.

"Our performances and work ethic were so much better and if we get someone in with the same attitude, get a good pre-season under our belt, get everyone fit and playing the way he wants and start the season well, then we can go upwards and onwards.

"Whoever comes in will target players and hopefully Mr Romanov will back him and show him the money.

"But you don't want to be silly and spend too much money.

"It's about quality not quantity now and I think if we bring in a few quality players to the squad, get everyone working in the same direction, then we can be up near the top."