Liverpool legend Ian Rush was rushed to hospital with suspected “excessive influenza” and spent 48 hours in intensive care. The 64-year-old was admitted to the Countess of Chester Hospital last week after suffering breathing problems. Rush was immediately transferred to the intensive care unit amid concerns about his health.
The iconic former Reds forward is believed to be on the road to recovery from the flu strain that hit the UK this month, but remains in hospital receiving treatment. The Welsh football hero plans to return home before Christmas to be with his family, including his partner Carol Anthony, who is 16 years his junior. Rush began a relationship with the Irish singer and model after he split from his wife of 25 years, Tracy, in 2012.
Speaking to WalesOnline in 2022, he said he was “couldn’t be happier” with how his life was turning out, with his sons Jonathan and Daniel also thriving and having recently settled into a new property he built with long-term partner Carol.
Their romance quickly attracted media attention when it was first revealed to the public, with Carroll facing accusations of ruining the soccer legend’s marriage and intense scrutiny over the couple’s age difference.
Nevertheless, Carole chose to set the record straight after multiple publications incorrectly stated that there was a 22-year age difference between her and Rush, and in doing so revealed the reality of their partnership. “I’ve been in some newspapers in the UK, but it’s all about the age difference and not a lot of detail about what I’ve been up to over the last few years,” she told the Irish Independent.
“They took another six years out of my life. We have 16 years instead of 22, and 13 between my own parents.
“Their view was wrong, like I was marrying him for money or something. I felt it was time to speak up for myself.
“Ian himself said that it’s great to support footballers at the peak of their careers, but once they’re done, it’s a downward spiral and it’s a completely different ballgame.
“I’ve been very supportive of Ian over the last few years and worked hard to get him a contract, so reading these articles feels like a slap in the face. It hurt me a little bit.
“Women are strong, so we always try to take things on the chin, but when I saw Ian getting frustrated with that, I said, ‘No, I’m going to take a stance on this.’
Since then, the couple have been busy planning their future, with Ian and Carol revealing last year that they were considering holding their summer wedding in the south of France. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether he actually walked down the aisle.
On how she dealt with the criticism she faced in the early stages of her relationship with Rush, she added: “At first it was difficult to deal with because we didn’t understand the level of scrutiny and we weren’t prepared for it. It made everyone anxious and nervous.
“It wasn’t great as a relationship. I was able to grow out of it and we have an incredible relationship. It’s really great. We love each other dearly. We’ve been together for 12 years now.”
“But I was walking behind Ian at every event because I didn’t want to be photographed with him. I went into a phase of obscurity and realized I shouldn’t hide.”
Rush won 18 trophies during his two spells at Anfield, including five First Division titles, five League Cups, three FA Cups and two European Cups. He remains the club’s all-time leading scorer, scoring 346 goals in 660 appearances.
The striker also represented Juventus, Leeds, Newcastle and Wrexham during his 22-year playing career, winning 73 caps for Wales and scoring 28 goals before retiring in 2000.
