The English opening batter Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"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 team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
