Leeds United Myanmar tour: Paul Heckingbottom admits 'some may have had sleepless night'

Paul Heckingbottom left Barnsley to take charge of Leeds in February 2018

Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom has admitted some players "may have had a sleepless night" over the club's planned post-season tour to Myanmar.

Leeds will play two games in May in the country, where families have fled their homes because of military operations.

The club asked the media not to ask Heckingbottom about political issues.

But he revealed players had received vaccinations for the Zika virus and said the club will alleviate any fears they may have about the trip.

Owner Andrea Radrizzani has defended the trip, after criticism from shadow sports minister Dr Rosena Allin-Khan.

• Read more: Background on the crisis

• FCO guidance on travel to Myanmar (external site)

• Myanmar country profile

"The players might have concerns and we have to put them to rest. We're employed by the club and we have to go and do our job," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Leeds.

"If there are concerns, they have to be legitimate concerns and then there has to be things put in place to alleviate those concerns. The club will put their mind at ease."

The Championship club are set to face a Myanmar National League all-star team in Yangon and the country's national team in Mandalay, as well as laying on coaching sessions.

In those areas, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) guidance is to "check travel advice before travelling".

The FCO advises against "all but essential travel" in some other areas of Myanmar, previously known as Burma.

Nearly 700,000 of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority have fled the country since August because of ongoing military operations in Rakhine.

Leicester City visited the country in May 2016 after winning the Premier League title but did not play any matches.

'It's never as bad as you think'

Asked if there were any worries about the Zika virus, Heckingbottom added: "That's one of the many things we're looking in to. There's that plus a lot more, that we have to be careful about and get fears put to bed.

"You can imagine, as soon as the trip was announced, for players and staff, as soon as they found out, you get on the internet to see what are we are going to face, and probably didn't sleep that night.

"It's never as bad as you think, but we have to take all the necessary precautions as a club to make sure everything's going to be OK."

Tour to give some players rare game-time

Heckingbottom added that he will not put pressure on his players to perform to their best in their two games in the country, stressing that some fringe members of his squad will get the chance to play.

"It's not a trip where I can honestly assess players, because it's not set up - in terms of the travel - to go and perform. Performance won't be judged," he continued.

"Some (young players) will be going. It'll be a small squad, not ideal in terms of the numbers of players we can take, with the travel.

"But it'll be a good opportunity for the staff and players to be around each other, and some players will get minutes under their belt before the break-up for the summer.

"We've got some health jabs today. We've got lots of players who won't be going regardless, for other reasons, because of possible international duty or players with partners expecting.

"So the squad will be different. It'll be made up of players who are available to go and who can get benefit out of the trip."