Things can’t be too happy for the English national football team for too long, as rumors and reports suggests that a joke told by Roy Hodgson at half time, with a punch line that says ‘feed the monkey,’ has triggered the wrath of some players who believed it had some racists tones to it, referring to Andros Townsend.

This is the joke:

NASA decided they’d finally send a man up in a capsule after sending only monkeys in the earlier missions,” the joke goes.

“They fire the man and the monkey into space.

“The intercom crackles, ‘Monkey, fire the retros.’

“A little later, ‘Monkey, check the solid fuel supply.’

“Later still, “Monkey, check the life support systems for the man.’

“The astronaut takes umbrage and radioes NASA, ‘When do I get to do something?’

“NASA replies, ‘In 15 minutes – feed the monkey.

What of it? Well, England were playing extremely well against Poland, with Townsend, making only his second appearance for the national team, being the best player on the pitch, completely torching the right wing for a second consecutive match. The fact that he’s black probably didn’t have anything to do with the monkey joke, but Hodgson still said it, and someone leaked it out to the Sun and from there it’s gone viral.

Is Roy Hodgson a racist? Hard to believe that’s true, but someone was bound to take the joke and the person he was referring to the wrong way. It didn’t seem to hurt the way England were playing, who went on to score another goal in the second half, winning 2-0, and finally earning some praise not just for their results, but for their ability in the final home stand, securing the necessary six points.