Latest news with #IanRush
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Liverpool's greatest players at war in AI-made musical: Ian Rush attacks Jamie Carragher and Robbie Fowler in bizarre 90-minute Hamilton-style production amid legal row
Liverpool legend Ian Rush has put his name to an extraordinarily bizarre, score-settling musical produced by AI - attacking Jamie Carragher and Robbie Fowler. Rush takes pot shots at Carragher and Fowler, lambasts the legal system and various journalists and lawyers in the 90-minute 'Rush For Justice'. In the musical shared online after being premiered in Cannes by the embattled company Rush is involved with, the strange Hamilton-style AI production is unveiled in full. The lyrics in one song reference his anger at Carragher and Fowler for ditching him in a WhatsApp group after withdrawing endorsement videos from a controversial company he holds a stake in. 'Now here's a tale from Merseyside, surreal but sadly true, of legends draped in scarlet red, their boots once split the blue. Fowler, Carragher, icons both with Rushy, through and through, were asked to send a video clip, just something mates would do,' runs one song before the AI generated voice starts rapping. 'They never called old Rushy back, no mate-to-mate hello, just vanished from the WhatsApp thread like Gerrard missed a throw,' goes the next verse as his grievances are brought to light. Rush, the top goalscorer in Liverpool history, is a significant shareholder in Irama Sports - a company that invests in and purchases football grounds. When the company launched, a number of ex-pros, including Carragher and Fowler, filmed endorsements that were put on their Facebook page. Some were later withdrawn amid claims the former Liverpool defender and striker had not intended them for commercial use. Clearly Rush is still stung by their actions - hence the decision to call them out in his AI musical. At the time, Carragher and Fowler were questioned about their support for Irama given the controversy around the company buying up grounds of struggling clubs. Both then distanced themselves on Twitter, now X, in April last year. Carragher wrote: 'Just seen this thread and seen my name as an endorsement of this group. I was asked for a video message, which I did as a favour to a former LFC player. I have no idea who they are or what they do. After reading, what they do looks very grim.' Fowler added: 'I was asked for a video from a friend and former team-mate. I have no affiliation with this group and don't wish to be associated with them. My support is with grassroots football and those effected.' Fowler, Rush and Carragher had previously worked with each other for the Liverpool Foundation after their playing days but the relationship between the Welshman and his old team-mates now appears fractured. One song in the AI musical details Rush's legal frustrations, with the American voiceover singing: 'Four years deep in the litigation zone, self-represented, standing on my own. Irama's case has got the core but they won't let justice through the court room door. 'They don't touch substance, no merit in view, just playing the game with a rulebook or two, £70k in costs what a feat for a £65k claim, that's elite.' Irama is also involved in an ongoing legal dispute with a Surrey scaffolding company and Martin Calladine - one of the journalists called out in the musical by name - sums up the production as detailing: 'Rush's and Irama's four-year court battle with the former owners of Whyteleafe (a football club in Surrey). 'It starts as a rant about the media, attacking The Athletic, the FSA, former MP Tracey Crouch, lots of journalists (including, briefly, me), Fowler, Carragher, and Liverpool's failure to sell them Melwood.' Melwood was Liverpool's training ground until 2020 before they moved to the state-of-the-art AXA Training Centre in Kirkby. Rather than sell the former site, Liverpool's women's team and girls' academy now operate out of Melwood. Irama have come under fire for purchases that have been either at clubs whose grounds are in administration or were being sold at auction. Back in 2021, they spent £495,000 on Whyteleafe FC's Church Road ground and £300,000 for Oxfordshire club Abingdon Town's Culham Road the year before. At the time Whyteleafe chairman Mark Coote told the Athletic: 'Irama don't seem to grasp football clubs, it's as if they're landlords. An email shared by author and journalist Martin Calladine was shared, detailing Justice For Sport Media's message prior to the launch of the AI musical 'This could end up finishing the club and the community I've built over the last 25 years. We're in a very difficult position. Terminating the lease means Whyteleafe don't have anywhere to play.' Irama showcased the AI musical in Cannes in one of their properties - and Calladine says there are plans to develop a film to go with the music. He also shared an email from Justice For Sport media company in the US - who headed the production. The email gave notice to those named in the musical about the release 'to ensure full transparency'. The musical was uploaded online under a Creative Commons 'Public Domain Dedication' licence, meaning the content can be used by anyone without infringing copyright.
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Mohamed Salah and Alessia Russo collect Football Writers' Association awards
Salah scored 28 goals during Liverpool's league campaign, and is the club's third all-time greatest goal scorer. That record belongs to Ian Rush, who presented Salah with his FWA award – and said he hoped to see his own record broken. Arsenal's Alessia Russo collected the FWA's women's trophy, as the Gunners prepare to face Barcelona in Lisbon in Saturday's Women's Champions League final.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liverpool announce new Heysel Stadium tragedy memorial
Liverpool have announced plans for a new memorial at Anfield to mark the 40th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium tragedy. Thirty-nine fans died when a wall collapsed before the 1985 European Cup final on 29 May in Brussels as crowd trouble culminated in a surge by Liverpool fans towards their Juventus counterparts. "The newly designed memorial will feature two scarves knotted together and gently tied - symbolising the unity and solidarity between the two clubs and the bond formed through shared grief and mutual respect in the aftermath of the disaster," said a Liverpool statement. "Crafted from carefully selected materials, the memorial also includes a moving inscription alongside the names of all 39 supporters who lost their lives at Heysel Stadium on May 29, 1985." The existing plaque which marks the disaster is situated on the wall of the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand at Liverpool's ground. The new memorial - titled 'Forever Bound' - will be moved to a new location yet to be decided on, "to offer a more visible and accessible space for reflection and remembrance". Former Liverpool striker, and current club ambassador, Ian Rush played in the game and witnessed the events, where 600 people were also injured. "We must never forget why this matters, and why we continue to stand together in solidarity, all these years later," he said. Italian side Juventus will also unveil a new Heysel Stadium memorial as part of their 40th anniversary commemorations, while Liverpool will put theirs on display later this summer. After a five-month trial which followed the disaster, 14 Liverpool fans were found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for three years. An investigation recommended the police and Belgian authorities should also take some of the blame. What happened at Heysel also led to English clubs being barred from European competition for five years, with Liverpool serving an extra year. Latest Liverpool news, analysis and fan views Get Liverpool news sent straight to your phone
Irish Independent
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘It's incredibly important' – Liverpool reveal plans for new Heysel memorial
The new memorial, titled 'Forever Bound', will replace the existing plaque currently situated on the wall of the Kenny Dalglish Stand and move to a new location at the home of the Premier League champions. Featuring two scarves knotted together and gently tied – symbolising the unity and solidarity between Liverpool and Juventus in the aftermath of the disaster – the memorial also includes an inscription alongside the names of the 39 supporters who died at the European Cup final at Heysel Stadium in Brussels. Ian Rush, who played for both clubs and was in the Liverpool side on that fateful night on May 29, 1985, said: "To see a new memorial created with such care means a lot and it's incredibly important to have a fitting tribute to remember the 39 fans who lost their lives. "We must never forget why this matters, and why we continue to stand together in solidarity, all these years later." Jonathan Bamber, Liverpool's chief legal and external affairs officer and executive sponsor of Forever Reds, said: "The Heysel disaster is a significant chapter in our history, and one which we must never forget. "It's important that we honour those who lost their lives with a memorial that reflects the depth of our respect and remembrance." Liverpool chief executive officer Billy Hogan and club ambassador Rush will attend the unveiling of Juventus' new Heysel memorial, 'Verso Altrove', in Turin as part of the 40th anniversary commemorations. 'Verso Altrove' will be unveiled on the 40th anniversary of the disaster on May 29. Liverpool have said, out of respect of that, 'Forever Bound' will be officially unveiled later in the summer at a location to be agreed following consultation with key stakeholders.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Liverpool announce new Heysel Stadium tragedy memorial
Liverpool have announced plans for a new memorial at Anfield to mark the 40th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium fans died when a wall collapsed before the 1985 European Cup final on 29 May in Brussels as crowd trouble culminated in a surge by Liverpool fans towards their Juventus counterparts."The newly designed memorial will feature two scarves knotted together and gently tied - symbolising the unity and solidarity between the two clubs and the bond formed through shared grief and mutual respect in the aftermath of the disaster," said a Liverpool statement., external"Crafted from carefully selected materials, the memorial also includes a moving inscription alongside the names of all 39 supporters who lost their lives at Heysel Stadium on May 29, 1985." The existing plaque which marks the disaster is situated on the wall of the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand at Liverpool's new memorial - titled 'Forever Bound' - will be moved to a new location yet to be decided on, "to offer a more visible and accessible space for reflection and remembrance".Former Liverpool striker, and current club ambassador, Ian Rush played in the game and witnessed the events, where 600 people were also injured."We must never forget why this matters, and why we continue to stand together in solidarity, all these years later," he side Juventus will also unveil a new Heysel Stadium memorial as part of their 40th anniversary commemorations, while Liverpool will put theirs on display later this a five-month trial which followed the disaster, 14 Liverpool fans were found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for three investigation recommended the police and Belgian authorities should also take some of the happened at Heysel also led to English clubs being barred from European competition for five years, with Liverpool serving an extra year.
