Per Wahlöö’s 1959 debut The Chief is a classic sports novel, as extraordinarily festive as it is savage in its description of the game in the lower soccer divisions. Behind the quirkiness lie darker undercurrents; already in this debut one can trace Wahlöö’s dedication to social issues.

It is also a book about human ruthlessness. The team leader known as The Chief is an unconscionable climber, determined to raise his worthless team higher in the divisions, no matter the costs. For The Chief, his own success and that of the team have become synonymous. And in The Chief’s world, the game set on the pitch is often less important than that played out behind the scenes.