Marc Guehi is confident that he's now an “integral” part of the England set-up.
The Crystal Palace centre-back is expected to get plenty of game time during England’s final Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia this week due to injuries for John Stones, Levi Colwill and Lewis Dunk.
The 23-year-old, born in the Ivory Coast, has won seven England caps and is targeting a place on the plane to Euro 2024 next summer.
“[I feel] an integral part of it”, he said. “First of all you get called up, which is amazing, but also you all have one common goal together, and that’s to try and win. Every time you come here, the level of detail the staff give is second to none.”
Guehi believes he can apply his leadership skills with Palace at England level.
“I feel like me being a leader, I am just myself," he stated.
"I am not trying to do anything different. When I come here, I can be a leader but at the same I am very conscious of learning a lot from those around me, those who came before me. I look at the team — so many captains of their clubs.”
Guehi, who is thriving under Palace manager Roy Hodgson this season, said about the 76-year-old: “Some of the gems he says every single day, you just have to take a step back sometimes and think, ‘Did he just say that?’.
"They definitely help you a lot with games coming up with Palace and coming away with the national team.
“I think he mentioned something about Inter Milan, back in the day, and he was talking about Roberto Carlos. Even to think he has coached Roberto Carlos. You are sat in the meeting and you are like, ’Honestly, wow!’. You are taken aback.
“He has done so much in the game, so when he talks, you listen. He tells me to be myself, to express myself and to enjoy and keep doing what I am doing for my club.
“As long as the gaffer is still involved in football, I think he will always have an impact. Him and his staff have done a fantastic job. They are really ambitious so just doing a good job isn’t enough for them, they want to push on and see how far they can take the team.”
England host Malta at Wembley on Friday before facing North Macedonia in Skopje on Monday.
