Mark Sampson adamant recent controversy hasn't disrupted England focus ahead of World Cup qualifiers

The 34-year-old has found himself back in the spotlight in recent days after the FA confirmed it had spoken to Chelsea’s Drew Spence in relation to complaints of bullying

Despite the controversy surrounding him and his England team, Sampson has insisted the side remain focused on the matches ahead (Getty)

England manager Mark Sampson is adamant that recent allegations made against him, and the subsequent controversy it has generated, have done little to disrupt his players’ focus ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualification campaign.

The 34-year-old has found himself back in the spotlight in recent days after the Football Association confirmed it had spoken to Chelsea’s Drew Spence in relation to complaints of bullying and harassment levelled at the England manager.

This followed an internal investigation and independent inquiry into initial allegations of racism made by Spence's Chelsea team-mate Eni Aluko.

Aluko alleged that Sampson told her to be careful her relatives did not bring Ebola to a game at Wembley, while other claims of discrimination have been raised.

The Lionesses’ quest to reach France in 2019 gets under way against Russia on Tuesday, but build-up to the fixture has continued to centre around Sampson, with Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor calling for a fresh inquiry after the Englishman was last week cleared of wrongdoing in relation to Aluko’s claims.

But despite the current controversy surrounding him and his England team, Sampson insisted on Monday that the side remain focused on the task ahead.

"We have to be professional and go about our business in a professional manner and that's what the players and the staff have done," he said.

"Their preparation for this game has been as thorough as it has been for any game, whether it be a European Championship semi-final or a World Cup semi-final.

Aluko claims she was subject to racism by Sampson (Getty)

"The players are ready to play now and they're looking forward to the game. They are footballers.

"I'm working with a strong group of women who understand what they need to do to be at their best and they will go through everything they need to make sure they're ready for this game.

"They're excited about representing their country. They've worked hard throughout their careers to be given the chance to represent England and they're looking forward to doing that again."

With regards to himself, Sampson insists he has also been able to retain his focus.

"It's my responsibility - my job is to prepare this team," he added. "My job is to support these players and I've continued to do that throughout the course of this camp."

Sampson has faced a difficult spell as England manager in recent weeks (Getty Images)

This follows Jodie Taylor’s recent admission that the furore has in fact brought the England squad closer together.

Although the forward admitted such developments have taken their toll on the group, she remarked that the overall effect had been a positive one.

"It's been tough on the team, as you'd expect," she said. "It's been tough on Mark, it's been tough on the players, it's been tough on the FA.

"It's something that's made us closer as players and as a team, probably more than ever. It's brought us closer to Mark, because of what's going on, and we can't wait to get back out and play Russia to show how together and how close we really are.

"We've come a long way. The togetherness culture in the team is unbelievable. Through the hard times and the good times, we are there together and I think you'll see that tomorrow night."

Additional reporting by PA.