Niklas Süle didn’t necessarily understand the fitness memo from the national coach, but he ticked it off. The centre-back doesn’t have time to sulk.

With veteran Thomas Müller on one hand and rookie Pascal Groß on the other, Niklas Süle was clearly having fun warming up in the Wolfsburg sun. Three months after being given a fitness rethink by national coach Hansi Flick, the Borussia Dortmund defender is back in the thick of things with the national football team. And he wants to stay. “Now Hansi seems to have liked it again, and that’s why I’m back,” the 28-year-old said with a grin on Wednesday.

In June, Flick had once again dispensed with the centre-back and had admonished in an interview that Süle urgently needed to work on his form and fitness. In retrospect, this was not the worst possible time for the BVB professional – the DFB team disappointed, conceding six goals in three winless games against Ukraine (3:3), Poland (0:1) and Colombia (0:2). What remained in the memory, however, was that Süle allegedly did not always take his profession as a professional footballer too seriously.

“Sulking around” makes no sense to Süle

“This is not a topic that has only been with me since yesterday,” Süle said. “I think Hansi and I have a very, very good relationship. We celebrated many great successes together at FC Bayern and actually always have an open and honest exchange as a result.” It makes no sense for him to “sulk around”.

The national coach had explained the reasons to him. Süle accepts them – even if he “doesn’t always have to understand the reasons one-to-one”. In his opinion, a nomination in the summer would have been deserved. The decisive factor is “how you deal with the situation”, Süle said. “I cope very well with it, with the things that are written about me. I still try to give my best performance every weekend, every game.”

Flick had recently described Süle’s development as “very positive”. This was also what he had been told from the BVB side. There had been amazement in Dortmund when the 28-year-old Süle returned from holiday. “He understood that. I can say that he did significantly more on holiday than everyone else because he simply wanted to prepare better, more intensively for this season,” BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl told us. “If Niklas stays healthy and works on his issues, he will become much, much better. “

I’m the wrong person to talk to, it’s up to Hansi to decide whether I play or not

Niklas Süle

But the centre-back will have to prove himself anew in the national team. Real Madrid’s Antonio Rüdiger is Flick’s favourite in central defence. And next to him, young Malick Thiaw from AC Milan is pushing into the starting eleven. The 22-year-old was one of the few bright spots during Flick’s botched Test matches in June.

“I’m the wrong person to talk to, it’s up to Hansi to decide whether I play or not,” Süle replied when asked about his demands. “I can step on the gas in training and step on the gas at the club and hope to play.” In competitive sport, he said, everyone has to try to “make the decision as difficult as possible for the coaches. There’s no room for bad thoughts, because you have to deliver anyway.”

The fact that shortly after the training of the DFB selection, the German basketball players had delivered at their World Cup in Asia by reaching the semi-finals, Süle only followed in passing. He wished them continued success, he said, but: “I’d rather play golf.” And again Süle grinned.