Barnsley: Heckingbottom delighted at international recognition

Andy Yiadom has been called-up to the Ghana set-up for the first time during this international break, while on-loan striker Adam Armstrong has been selected for the Continental Cup in South Korea with England U20s.

And Heckingbottom believes the call-ups are well deserved after the performances they have put in so far this season.

“I’m absolutely delighted for them,” admitted Heckingbottom. “They’ve done great and it’s thoroughly deserved.

“It’s great recognition for them and you want them rewarded when they’re playing well, that’s what it’s all about.

“Now you just worry about the travel and the schedules they’ve got.

“Army [Armstrong] has a tough one travelling to South Korea with the under-20s.

“Yids has got Dubai and then Egypt which is another long one travel wise.”

Having players called up for international duty shows how far the Reds have come since this time last year, when they were in the Sky Bet League One drop zone.

Heckingbottom’s philosophy has been to bring in young players and help them improve, with Yiadom being a prime example – from playing in League Two at Barnet last year to now being a key figure in the Championship and receiving a call up for Ghana on the back of those improved performances.

And Heckingbottom wants this to only be the beginning, with more of his talented players being selected in the future.

He added: “Kudos to the club for how far we’ve come and how far we’re taking these players.

“It’s about them and how far they want to go but hopefully we can get some more into their international set ups.

“That’s what we’re about here, developing players and making them better and getting players selected for their countries is just one way to prove we’re doing our jobs.

“It’s all well and good me telling them they’re doing well but it’s another thing when their national set up are selecting them. “It shows they’re doing something right and it shows us as a football club are doing something right, too.”