The English opening batter Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
