The Haunting of Hill...Dickenson? Derrida and the Spectre of Football's Past

The Haunting of Hill...Dickenson? Derrida and the Spectre of Football's Past

In this week's (late, I know - we're sorry) episode, Jack and I discuss the enigmatic philosopher Jacques Derrida as we hastily retreat back from any possibly pending FIFA lawsuits. Derrida, or as we like to now call him, Toto, pulls back the curtain of time to discuss how the past constantly haunts us. Football might just be the most haunted sport of all: think about Best and Beckham's number 7 (forever haunting Beckham now considering his daughter's name); think about England's singular star on their white shirt; reflect on that absolute sitter your team's star striker spooned into the corner flag... The past never really leaves us, it's always right there along with the present. Football's hard enough to predict with the past forever obscuring our vision of the present, let alone when we add in Derrida's understanding of ' the event', a totally unpredictable thing that defers its meaning (we'll only really know players by the legacy they leave behind), disturbs binaries (transcends the game - I'm looking at you Bobby Zamora), and reshapes the match (look no further than Wazza's bicycle shinner vs City). Overall, Derrida's philosophy shows us the sheer chaos of our wonderful game - which has never been more on show than it is in the States right now. The greatest show on earth! Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

Does Absolute Power Corrupt Absolutely? America and FIFA

In this episode Jack and I discuss corruption, plain and simple.Is a cryo chamber elite recovery or just posh cheating? This week, we tackle the murky line between gamesmanship and outright rule-breaking, from the days when lifting weights was “ungentlemanly” to the small matter of FIFA, World Cups, and suitcases full of suspicious cash. We sprint through Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Montesquieu to ask: who decides what counts as cheating, and why does it always seem to involve billion-dollar tournaments in America? Expect corruption, classic philosophy, and a few absurd detours as we try (and probably fail) to play fair. Next week: Derrida - bring a dictionary! Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

Shady Saints Stripped of Success (?): Cheating in the Modern Game

In this episode, Adam and Jack see how philosophy can helpus frame and properly discuss ‘cheating’ in the beautiful game. With Southampton interns doing a somehow worse job than Adam pantomiming as a tree in his Year 1 nativity scene, one has to ask, ‘is this really what the game has come to?’ We set the scene with Spygate and then Jack regales us withtales about  Greek gods, Immanuel Kant, Machiavelli, and one of the greatest half-French philosophers of our time, the controversial figure of Joey Barton. The fun doesn't stop there either: we apply this all over the place Rangers vs Dynamo Kyiv, Jose Mourinho vs the world, right down to how Spurs weren't ever going to get relegated due to Adam's buy-in to a conspiracy theory originally proposed by... James Corden. Who says philosophy is only for those in ivory towers? Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

Season 2 Finale: What Have the Mighty Magyars Ever Done For Us?

That's folks, the end of season 2. I know, I know, you're sad. But fear not! We'll be back bigger and better than ever before in time for season 3. For now, satiate your appetite for all things FFP with this episode loosely based on reward and punishment, promotions and relegations, the Greek God Bacchus, Jack's need for therapy, and, of course, the Mighty Magyars and their legacy. We hope you enjoy it! Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.

No Pyro No Party: Football's Ultras - a Force for Good?

Intriguingly, 'ultra' comes from the Latin 'ultrā', meaning 'to go beyond'. In this episode, Jack and I discuss football's ultras, from Partick Thistle through to Milan to ask the question: what is it that they do? Jack invokes some ancient and modern philosophy to tell us why the 'ultra' phenomenon is so ingratiated into football's psyche. Can singing that Huddersfield Town fans shag dogs really provide a much-needed sense of belonging? Can you really have a party if there's no flares? Will Jack stop flip flopping on the verisimilitude of Irish bars abroad? Find out in this week's episode, our second season's penultimate! Just like Financial Fair Play, we here at FFP have designed this podcast to be educational. Whether it works is a different matter entirely.  Sound Effect by: https://pixabay.com/users/alexis_gaming_cam-50011695/M - Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/users/alexis_gaming_cam-50011695/]