Out-of-favour forward Stefan Kiessling could earn a surprise recall to the Germany squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and Sweden with starter Miroslav Klose and second choice Mario Gomez both nursing injuries.
Last season's Bundesliga top scorer Kiessling, who has already bagged five goals in seven league games for Bayer Leverkusen this campaign, recently ruled out playing for Germany under coach Joachim Loew after being regularly overlooked.
However, Loew appeared to offer an olive branch to the player on Sunday, saying that he would have a talk with the forward.
“Stefan Kiessling is a striker who has shown very good performances in the Bundesliga,” said Loew. “I will have a chat with him to discuss some things internally.”
The 29-year-old won the last of six caps in Germany’s 3-2 win over Uruguay in the 2010 World Cup third place play-off.
"It is for every player a great event to play for their country and I don't think Kiess thinks any differently," Leverkusen coach Sami Hyypia said last week.
Loew will announce his squad on Friday for the October 11th qualifier against Ireland in Cologne and their trip to Sweden four days later.
“I do not know what kind of impact his absence will have on my selections for the games against Ireland and Sweden. I will name the squad at the end of next week,” Loew said last week.
With Kiessling out of the picture, Loew has given chances to younger forwards, such as Borussia Moenchengladbach's Max Kruse, who was picked in the two qualifiers earlier this month.
Germany are top of Group C and need two points from their remaining two games to guarantee qualification for next year’s finals in Brazil.
Just a month ago, a frustrated Kiessling ruled out a return to the national set-up under Loew.
“I once said that this case was closed. Now I say again that there will be no international role for Kiessling under Loew,” the tall forward, who has scored 116 league goals in 285 matches, said at the time.
He did, however, add he would always be willing to help his country if needed and that opportunity could arise after Lazio’s Klose underwent foot surgery on Thursday and Fiorentina’s Gomez sustaining a knee ligament injury two weeks ago.
"Stefan has the qualities to be part of the World Cup team," Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller said. "It will be difficult not to select him if has another season like the last."
