Andros Townsend has said the comment from England manager Roy Hodgson that prompted a racism row should be viewed as a "compliment".
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Hodgson came under fire after press reports he'd told a racially offensive joke at halftime during England's 2-0 win over Poland at Wembley on Tuesday that clinched World Cup qualification.
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The manager's aim was to get his side to pass the ball to the in-form Townsend more often and the Tottenham Hotspur winger told the BBC on Friday:
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"The manager just told the players to give the ball to me so that's a compliment.
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"Everyone should be focusing on England qualifying for Brazil, not on negative silly news."
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The joke concerns a monkey and an astronaut going into space – animals were sent on flights before manned missions – with the punchline being the astronaut's only task is to "feed the monkey".
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Although there is no racist overtone to the joke, 'monkey' can also be an insulting way of describing black men such as Townsend, who scored on his England debut in a 4-1 win against Montenegro last Friday.
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Hodgson apologised but was furious his remark had been leaked to the press.
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"Joy is short-lived in this job. The players are as angry about this as I am," he told Friday's Daily Mail.
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Football Association chairman Greg Dyke pledged his full support for Hodgson, saying the governing body was satisfied there was no racist intent in his comments and praised him as "a man of the highest integrity".
People just like to blow things out of proportion so the coach should just remain calm no matter what!