It has already been eight years since FC Online (FCO) launched! There is a common perception that the older an online game gets, the higher the barrier to entry. However, FCO is not as difficult as you might think. If you follow these steps, you will be eyeing the Challenger rank before you know it.

Today, I want to share my experience with FCO from the perspective of a true returning user. I’ve summarized some thoughts from my recent return to the game. There are things I wish I had known sooner, so if you are a manager still in the adaptation phase like me, this should help you avoid missing out on anything.

I am a manager who enjoyed FCO for quite a long time starting in 2018. If I go back even further, I participated in the previous title as well as all the pre-launch tests for FCO. I think I played it quite happily for about four years after its release. I left the game for a while, but recently, my interest in soccer was rekindled, and I logged back in after a very long time.

However, after checking the atmosphere, I realized a lot had changed. For starters, the team I was using didn't seem viable for current play. It was a popular South Korean national team at the time, but friends told me it was too weak now. My salary cap was stuck at 210, but the era of 300 has arrived.

There were also changes to in-game systems. In the past, I only paid attention to training coaches, but now there are more elements to strengthen your squad, such as supporters, tactical training, and intensive training. Initially, I intended to continue using the account I had used since the previous title, but because of a brief login history, I couldn't participate in the new/returning user events, so I created a new account with a beginner's mindset. My original team was worth about 15 trillion BP, but I was told I could get over 100 trillion by participating in the new/returning user events. I didn't need to think twice.

There were also changes to in-game systems. In the past, I only paid attention to training coaches, but now there are more elements to strengthen your squad, such as supporters, tactical training, and intensive training. Initially, I intended to continue using the account I had used since the previous title, but because of a brief login history, I couldn't participate in the new/returning user events, so I created a new account with a beginner's mindset. My original team was worth about 15 trillion BP, but I was told I could get over 100 trillion by participating in the new/returning user events. Of course, if you aren't in my situation, it's better to keep your existing account.

In the past, I was a manager who really enjoyed 1:1 official matches. I only ran Manager Mode when I didn't have time to play directly. However, when I tried to play after a long break, my hands didn't listen. I don't know if it was just in my head, but the game feel seemed different from the past. After losing repeatedly even at very low official match ranks, I naturally started blaming the team.

In reality, the team was not great. It was a new account, after all. So, I set a goal: to participate in events diligently and build a squad that fits the representative team salary limit. For a while, I played mostly in Manager Mode. Rather than losing by my own hand, I steadily received new/returning user event rewards by running Manager Mode. I also kept an eye on other events to grab whatever I could.

Most FCO events require attendance and match play to receive rewards. 1:1 match mode is fine, but Manager Mode is also a good option, even if it takes a bit more time. If your goal is simply to participate in events, Manager Mode is a great choice. You can play 20 matches automatically per day, so use that to collect rewards. However, you do need to manually check other missions in the in-game Mission Hub that provide FC and BP.

When I had about 100 trillion in assets, I started recruiting players little by little. Since some of the players I acquired belonged to AC Milan, I filled the 300 salary cap to match that team color, resulting in a 200 trillion squad. After all, isn't squad building one of the joys of FCO? Choosing players for each position, selecting a class that fits your budget, and comparing player stats within that range makes time fly. I was fully immersed in the fun of building a team again.

However, after some time, that action felt like a mistake. In fact, 200 trillion felt like a huge amount to me, so I worked hard to build the team, but it didn't seem like a team worth that much. Since the official website event provides a 8-star KHD squad as a loan squad, it's better to use that to learn the game and save your BP. If the 8-star KHD squad isn't to your taste, you can use the 1k trillion quick squad provided as a new/returning user event reward.

My recommendation for new and returning managers is to actively use loan players and quick squads while focusing on increasing your BP assets first. Set goals like 1,000, 2,000, or 3k trillion BP and secure them by participating in events and purchasing necessary items. You can reach your goals faster than you think just by participating in events consistently, and if you purchase items within your means, you can save even more time. Even if there is a team you want to build, please be patient. Frequent squad changes lead to wasted BP.

It is best to participate in all events as much as possible. If you lack time to play directly, you should at least consistently collect match rewards through Manager Mode. And don't forget to collect rewards from the in-game Mission Hub. Burning events are key events that can significantly increase your assets in a short time, so keep a close eye on the schedule. Most FCO events offer better rewards if you take advantage of PC bang benefits, so use them if you can. Of course, you can still grow your assets to a decent level just by playing at home.

Purchasing items through payments is also an option. There is a good choice right now called the Skybox Pass, but there isn't much time left in the participation period. I grabbed the Balance, Manager, and Express passes from the Sky Pass, and my BP definitely accumulated quickly. Purchasing items within your means can help you secure assets.

I participated in events moderately from home, and I still have pass rewards left. I've been receiving BP consistently from pass rewards, and now I have 2000 trillion. If I collect my transfer market sales at a PC bang, I think I'll get about 1k trillion more. I set my goal at 3k trillion when I bought the pass, and I've reached it now. I think I can build a pretty decent team now.

It can be a bit boring to just collect BP when you want to use your favorite players and team right away. In such cases, I recommend looking into training coaches, supporter effects, tactical training, and intensive training that you will use later. These were new systems to me, except for training coaches, so they felt complicated at first. But once you know them, they aren't that difficult. In the beginning, it's enough to just understand that these growth elements exist.

You can think of a training coach as a coach assigned to each player. You can form a recruitment team in the menu and hire a coach when one with the desired ability appears as a candidate. However, new and returning users can put training coaches on the back burner for a while. Events provide coaches with quite decent abilities. For now, just growing your recruitment team is enough. Also, you can assign event-received training coaches to loan players, but you cannot assign them to quick squads.

Tactical training is a method of investing TC into three categories—attack, midfield, and defense—to gain additional effects; it requires a significant amount because you have to reach the final 6th stage. Intensive training is a method of investing points into each player's detailed stats, which can also provide overall benefits by increasing those stats. Both tactical and intensive training can be reset later, but it's better to save them because there is a penalty. Especially in the beginning, when player changes can be frequent, intensive training can be a waste. If you want to invest in something, tactical training is a better choice.

If you have spare SC, it's okay to grab some supporter effects, but since they are time-limited, saving them for the future is also a strategy. Oh, and you should pay a little attention to your fan count. If you just returned and lack fans, sponsor rewards will be limited to SC. Since the TC consumed for tactical and intensive training is a limited resource, it is best to maximize your fans to configure sponsor missions for TC rewards and collect them in advance.

Personally, I also recommend collecting resources from the Mission Hub and other areas to purchase the 290 FC/MC boost in the Training Coach DIY event. When the boost is activated, you get 2500 basic training manuals and 6k each of CP, TC, and SC; the TC felt especially valuable. This can be purchased every week. Actually, I missed the boost item and made the mistake of over-investing TC in intensive training. I hope you check this in advance so you don't suffer any losses. I will set aside time to look at training coaches, intensive training, and tactical training in more detail later.