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Gareth Bale's success abroad should inspire Joe Hart, says Ian Rush

Joe Hart poses with a supporter upon his arrival for a medical before joining Torino
Image: Joe Hart must learn Italian to succeed in Serie A, according to Ian Rush

Ian Rush believes Joe Hart's "brave" move abroad will benefit him in the same way that it did Gareth Bale.

Serie A side Torino signed Hart, 29, on a season-long loan from Manchester City after ending up third-choice goalkeeper at the Etihad Stadium under Pep Guardiola. 

Former Liverpool striker Rush knows Turin well as he spent one season at Torino's city rivals Juventus in the late 1980s and has already said Hart will learn from the experience

Hart has been named in Sam Allardyce's first England starting line up as his side begin their World Cup qualifying campaign against Slovakia on Sunday and Rush believes the player's move abroad can have the same impact on his England performances as Bale's move to Madrid did for Wales.  

"I don't like people who are happy being there for the sake of it," Rush said of the situation Hart found himself in at the Etihad Stadium.

"At Man City he had most probably become third choice. He wants to play and is England's number one. I think it will make him better for the experience.

SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN - AUGUST 21:  Gareth Bale of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring goal during the La Liga match between Real Sociedad de Futbol and Re
Image: Gareth Bale has scored 49 goals in 77 La Liga games for Real Madrid

"Since Gareth Bale went to Real Madrid he became a better player for Wales because of what he has learned, and Joe Hart will be exactly the same.

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"It is a brave move for him, but it is one where he wants to play and hopefully he will do okay." 

Rush struggled to adapt to life in Italy when he joined Juventus for a then British record transfer fee of £3.2m, scoring only seven goals in 29 league appearances before returning to Liverpool in 1988, but he says much has changed for players in the intervening years.

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"Turin is an industrial city and will be different to what he is used to in the winter," said Rush. "I was lucky as I scored the winner against Torino and they treat you really well.

"If he does well against Juventus I am sure they will love him. It is not going to be easy, but it is a lot easier off the pitch nowadays as you have people helping you.

"As a goalkeeper it will be about his communication with his defence, the most important thing is defensive organisation and to do that he will have to speak Italian." 

Rush, who works as a Liverpool ambassador, was also disappointed to see Wales international Joe Allen depart the club to join Stoke after, like Bale, the player enjoyed a successful European Championship this summer. 

Allen was a standout as Wales reached the last four of Euro 2016 this summer
Image: Joe Allen was a standout player as Wales reached the last four of Euro 2016 this summer

"It was sad to see Joe go because he had a great Euros and in his last three months at Liverpool he did what the manager (Jurgen Klopp) asked," said Rush.

"The manager wanted him to score more goals, he did that and got into more (scoring) positions.

"People were raising questions about him when he joined from Swansea, but he overcame that and became a better player at Liverpool." 

Liverpool have had a mixed start to the Premier League campaign under Jurgen Klopp, and although Rush believes the German coach is the right man for the job, he does not believe the Reds will challenge for the title this season.

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"For me, it would be a bonus if Liverpool finished in the top four," Rush added. "That's the target.

"I was with them in pre-season and they blow a bit hot and cold. They just need consistency and they've got the right manager to do that."

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