But the former Middlesbrough manager told Sky Sports News: “It’s an absolute load of rubbish.”

He added: “What happens in the dressing room, happens in the dressing room. We get on well with each other.”

McClaren also denied a rift with assistant Terry Venables, saying: “It’s an absolute load of rubbish. People are just trying to stir things. The togetherness of the squad has never been better. Terry gives me advice like all the staff do and he gives me great advice.”

McClaren claimed he was pleased with the performance in Tel Aviv but felt England lacked a bit of luck.

He added on Sky Sports News: “It was a game we knew was going to be hard. It was tough but in the end we dominated and only one team wanted to win.

“We had 17 chances, nine on target, and on another day we would have won two or three-nil. We failed to convert them.

“If we weren’t creating chances I’d be more disappointed with the performance. If we keep playing like that in international football we will turn it around and win matches.

“We’re disappointed. We went to Israel for a win and played as if we wanted to win but had to accept a draw.”

McClaren does not believe England are now in danger of failing to qualify for the finals in Austria and Switzerland next year.

He said: “The others are two or three points ahead of us. We now have to win against Andorra and against Estonia.

“We will then have five games when we play Russia twice and Croatia at home. They are the big games.

“It always boils down to the last games and the big games. We know what we have got to do and have got to start doing it.”