“It will be interesting to see how the referees deal with it and see what they let go – there has to be limits.

“It’s a mind game at the end of the day.”

Metcalfe recalls taking one penalty at club level but couldn’t remember what the keeper did.

“I’ve taken one. The keeper I faced didn’t do anything I don’t think ... I can’t remember,” Metcalfe said.

“He is trying to put you off and that is fair enough.

“When we run up to the ball, we jitter, stop and try to wait until they move. It is a mind game, and if they are trying to put you off, then fair enough.”

Socceroos defender Kye Rowles had a similar view.

“I didn’t get into the specifics of it, but I did see it. Obviously, there is time and place for taunting and that kind of stuff. It’s part of the pressures of playing football and taking penalty kicks,” Rowles said.

“We won’t really know until we see referees make some calls on it. I’ll just wait with the rest of the world to see what happens with it.”

AC Milan and French goalkeeper Mike Maignan didn’t hide his disgust at the changes.

“Goalkeepers must have their backs when the shot is taken, in case of save, indirect free kick,” he quipped in French on Twitter.

Metcalfe has high hopes for the upcoming Socceroos campaign as the team chases a second AFC Asia Cup in Qatar next January and then aims for qualification to the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

The 23-year-old doesn’t like to look beyond his job in Tuesday night’s friendly against Ecuador at Marvel Stadium, but the former Melbourne City midfielder does want to find a way to find a way to score his first goal for the senior national team.

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“First thing is to win as we always want to win no matter what,” Metcalfe said.

“To be honest, I’d love to score my first goal. That is a big goal of mine, so to score would be nice, but just to win, play well and do my job is what I want to do.”

Metcalfe is embracing his first European season with German club St Pauli where he plays alongside fellow Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine who did score in the Socceroos’ win over Ecuador in Sydney on Friday night.

“He is on fire. He cannot stop scoring,” Metcalfe said with a smile.

“He is always in the right place at the right time. I love Jacko, he deserves it and he is doing well.”

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