Ian Rush: "I'll be celebrating when Bale breaks my record"

Going into Monday's 2018 World Cup qualifier against Moldova, Bale's tally stands at 22 goals wearing the Dragons' bright red shirt. "He’ll do it and he’ll do it in this campaign – and I hope I’m there to see it because I’d definitely celebrate it", says Rush, who will at least be able to console himself in the knowledge that no one looks like beating his astonishing goal scoring records at club level for Liverpool. "When your record gets broken you’re disappointed but it tells me one thing, which is the team is doing well. That’s what we want to see – and if we do, it means that Gareth will have broken my record; hopefully it will mean Wales are right up there at the top of the group because that is the most important thing. The success is an amazing thing to witness and Gareth breaking my record is part of that.

"I may be a little disappointed if the record goes, but they are there to be broken – I broke records and as a top player that’s what happens. With more games being played I always thought my record would go. Perhaps if I’d taken free-kicks like Gareth I’d have scored 60!" Rushie quipped.

The 54-year-old says he feels that Bale's team mates at Real Madrid are having a positive influence on him, and one player in particular: "He’s obviously a different player to me but he’s getting better the whole time. He’s got stronger and faster and I think there’s more to come. I think Gareth has learned a lot from Cristiano Ronaldo; some of the goals he’s scored, especially his headed goals, remind me very much of Ronaldo. He’s become more powerful, bigger and stronger. It’s those attributes that make him the player he is and I’m sure he’ll get even better".