England opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
