Niklas Süle: “Playing consistently” is the most important thing for central defenders

Borussia Dortmund and Germany center back Niklas Süle offered advice to young central defenders in an interview via the club.

In an interview where the player was tasked with answering questions posed by fans, Niklas Süle answered questions relating to how he currently feels playing for Borussia Dortmund and gave advice to young central defenders on what the most important things to focus on are. With regards to how the player feels in Dortmund, Süle was quick to note that he has been very happy since his move:

"“I feel very happy here in Dortmund…[prior to the move] I asked a few players who played here, I got a few opinions on the city, and it has been a pleasant surprise for me. I have everything I need, and there are things for my son to do…so I feel very positive.”"

As with any person, moving to a new city and environment can have either a positive or negative effect on a footballer’s performance. In the case of Süle, it’s clear that the player has settled well and this had attributed to his performances on the pitch. While the player did struggle with injuries early on and the entire team struggled in the first half of the season, Süle’s performances have been quite solid both at center back and right back when he has had to deputize in that role due to injuries.

The line of questioning also touched on which teammate Süle believed was the hardest to defend against. The Germany international noted Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in particular:

"“I think when Jamie’s fit and healthy he’s very hard to defend against because he’s incredibly small, quick and nimble. I’m 95kg, a bit bulkier, so I find it hard against smaller players.”"

Bynoe-Gittens has indeed had a standout season when fit, with his ability to dribble past defenders proving invaluable to the club in a number of games. He has certainly been one of the more incisive players off the wing and likely would have had a larger impact had his shoulder issues not hampered his fitness to date.

The conversation surrounding Bynoe-Gittens then transitioned smoothly into one of the more important points in the interview, where Süle was asked whether or not he has any tips for young defenders:

"“Whatever your position, the most important thing is that you try to play consistently, especially if you’re a defender. because you can have a great game for 90 minutes, make one mistake, and you’re the loser. That has happened to me quite a lot. As an attacker you can be crap for 90 minutes, score in the 91st minute, and you’re there hero. So consistency is pretty important for a defender.”"

Süle followed this up by saying that maintaining focus throughout the entire game is also important, and something that he still admits needing to improve on. Süle’s comments are definitely an honest assessment of his own game, but as with the rest of the team, the effort to do better in the second half of the season has been extremely evident.

With Dortmund heading towards their clash with Bayern Munich this coming weekend, Niklas Süle will definitely have to maintain a high level of focus as he will not only be facing the perennial title favorites; He will be facing his old club. While getting a good result will be important for the entire team, it will be especially important for Süle to put in a good showing against his former employers to underline the type of player they lost after his free transfer to Dortmund.