Collected malus

Collected 2 years ago and chopped back to a stump just above the first right branch it seems like it's put out a bunch of new growth over the past two summers in the ground.when I collected it I literally just dug around with a spade and lifted it right out, I knocked off a bunch of the old soil and put it back in the ground. When I dug it up this spring I found almost no roots once i cleaned the rooball. there are a few big ones but next to no feeder roots. It seems to be recovering from the repot a few weeks back, but I'm baffled on no root growth I expected a bunch, perhaps I should have put it in bonsai soil instead of back in the groud when collected, but I'd think I would get the opposite results... Tons of vigorus growth. But no, so my question is, I'd like to wire and style some since my intended leader is now the lower right branch,  but unsure due to the current lack of roots, maybe malus can survive on minimal roots i know theyr hardy but should I wait ? Thoughts?