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Talking football with… The Fratellis

Fratellis front man and Celtic fan Jon Fratelli tells us about his disillusionment with modern football.

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The Fratellis
The Fratellis… Football not the medicine it once was

Last week we had the pleasure of speaking to Fratellis front man Jon Fratelli for our sister site Rocksucker, just before Celtic took on AC Milan in the Champions League.

We decided to ask him about his beloved Bhoys, and Jon explained to us the disillusionment he feels with modern football.

First, though, check out this choice cut from The Fratellis’ ace new album We Need Medicine, out October 6th…

Would you say you’ve fallen out of love with football?

I haven’t fallen out of love with it, but I am far less connected to it now. Footballers are getting harder and harder to watch – they’re overpaid and they cheat.

This is a sport where cheating is inherent and normal now, and I find that hard to watch. They even cheat to get throw-ins, the most innocuous things. I can’t think of another sport that happens in.

Most sportsmen want to win fairly but footballers have got it drummed into them that they want to gain every unfair advantage that they can. Even at Celtic.

But you can’t take yourself away from it completely because you’re brought up with it. It’s impossible not to care when Celtic play, I just keep more of a distance.

Come tomorrow night I’ll be connected again, I think! (Remembers) Although I’m in Dublin tomorrow seeing Roger Waters, so I’ll miss it. Dublin’s the place to watch it as well.

The Fratellis - We Need Medicine

Were you saddened by Rangers’ plight or do you feel more than a little schadenfreude about it?

It’s not nice to gloat, but all I’ll say is that I remember the ’90s when Rangers were drowning in cash and titles.

We were destitute until about ’94, ’95 – those were my early teenage years so I was aware enough of how bad that felt, so it’s hard to feel any sympathy.

But I wouldn’t gloat about it, because I have friends who are Rangers supporters. Although I did give them a hard time about it!

Jon Fratelli, thank you.

We Need Medicine will be released on October 6th through BMG.

For a list of live dates, please visit The Fratellis’ official website.