Townsend frustrated by 'silly news'
Tottenham winger Andros Townsend has called for an end to the controversy surrounding Roy Hodgson's joke about a monkey in space.
Hodgson used a joke about NASA sending a monkey and a human up in a rocket to illustrate the need for England players to give Tottenham winger Townsend the ball when he was in space during the match against Poland.
The leaking of the joke has sparked a row culminating in a letter of complaint from a pressure group being sent to the Football Association demanding that Hodgson attend a 'race appreciation' training course.
Townsend told BBC Sport however: "It has all been said now, it has been in the news the last few days and I think everyone should focus on us qualifying on Brazil and not focusing on negative, silly news.
"The manager told the player to give the ball to me, so that is a compliment in a way."
Hodgson, who apologised if any offence was caused, expressed his frustration and anger that his side's achievement in reaching the World Cup earlier this week has been overshadowed by the details of the joke he told in the dressing room at half-time against Poland.
