Socceroos midfielder Connor Metcalfe keen to show he can handle the demands of Germany’s top division

Having achieved promotion with his German club, Socceroo Connor Metcalfe is ready for take his game to the next level in the Bundesliga.

Connor Metcalfe celebrates after St. Pauli’s promotion to the Bundesliga. Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Socceroos midfielder Connor Metcalfe is eager to prove that he’s good enough to play in the Bundesliga after his club St. Pauli’s effort to earn promotion to Germany’s top division.

The former Melbourne City star is still pinching himself at the thought of playing against the likes of Bayern Munich, Bayern Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund next season, and is desperate to maintain his spot in St. Pauli’s best 11 alongside club captain and fellow Socceroo Jackson Irvine.

“It’s what we all strive for in our careers, playing in the top-flight leagues,” Metcalfe said.

Particularly in the “big five” European leagues of Germany, Italy, Spain, England and France.

Joining Metcalfe and Irvine in those elite competitions next season will be at least another two current Socceroos in defenders Cameron Burgess and Alessandro Circati.

Burgess’ Ipswich Town secured promotion to the English Premier League, while Circati’s Parma achieved a similar feat in being promoted to Italy’s Serie A.

Socceroos centre-back Harry Souttar’s Leicester City also achieved promotion to the EPL by winning the English Championship, but he is expected to leave the Foxes due to a lack of first-team football.

Socceroo Connor Metcalfe’s club side St. Pauli will play in the Bundesliga next season. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“With myself, ‘Jacko’ (Irvine), and a couple of other boys getting promoted, it just puts a new challenge on us individually to see where we’re at, and to see if we can compete,” 24-year-old Metcalfe said.

“It’s just a really good phase for the Socceroos in development. I’m quite young and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Even younger is 18-year-old A-League sensation Nestory Irankunda, who will move to Germany later this month to join Bayern Munich.

Currently with Irankunda in Socceroos camp ahead of Australia’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Thursday night, Metcalfe has encouraged the former Adelaide United prodigy to have an “open mind” about what to expect in Germany.

“It’s obviously going to be tough for him. He’s young, and it’s going to be his first real move away from home. It’s not like it’s Adelaide to New South Wales, it’s the other side of the world,” Metcalfe said.

“He’s just got to take it step by step and not rush, and try to play as many minutes as he can, whether it’s first division or third division – it doesn’t really matter. It’s just as long as he’s playing senior football and he’s doing well.

“I let him know that everyone (in Germany) speaks really good English, (he will) probably be really well looked after especially at that club, and if he needs anything, me and `Jacko’ are there to help him.”