Friday 18 August 2017 09:40, UK
England boss Mark Sampson has acknowledged a need to improve his "general communication style" following allegations of racial discrimination, bullying and harassment from Chelsea striker Eni Aluko.
Aluko made the series of allegations against Sampson in a complaint to the Football Association, although the head coach was cleared of any wrongdoing following an independent inquiry.
Sampson was accused of inappropriate comments and behaviour, which included a remark where he asked a mixed race player how many times she had been in trouble with the police, but barrister Katharine Newton accepted credible "non-discriminatory explanations" for his conduct.
In a statement released by the FA, Sampson said: "I fully understood and welcomed the need for an internal review and an independent investigation by an expert on employment and discrimination law.
"It's incredibly important that matters like this are taken extremely seriously and investigated in the right way - with the right level of sensitivity and support for all involved.
"The barrister's final report said there was no case to answer and noted that my approach to all players is the same regardless of their background.
"I also appreciated that the report highlighted areas where I could improve my general communication style, and that is something I have taken on board and looked to improve."
Aluko has refused to play for the national side while Sampson remains head coach and did not feature for England at Euro 2017 as a result.
She was paid around £80,000 to sign an agreement that the FA claims was to "avoid disruption" ahead of this summer's tournament.
The FA claim this "mutual resolution" was not to prevent disclosure and that Aluko, who remains centrally contracted, is free to speak publicly about the matter.
