Your first week in STRATKA

You have just signed the contract. You have a club, 16 players, a stadium with 6,600 seats and €20,000 in the bank. Here is how to spend the first seven days so the club starts to grow instead of just existing.

Day 1. Play and watch

1. Play a friendly against a bot. "Friendlies" → "Play with bot". The match kicks off in a few minutes — enough time to adjust the lineup. A friendly is a safe way to see your team: you lose nothing, and the players who took the pitch earn experience for their development. More in "Friendlies".
2. Watch the live match for at least a few minutes. At the top are the scoreboard and the timeline, in the middle the pitch: squares are players, the diamond is the ball. On the right (on a phone, the "Control" bar at the bottom) are substitutions and tactical changes. More in "Live match".
3. Schedule training. The first training session of every day is free. A day without training is a day your squad does not grow. More in "Team training".
4. Open "First steps" on the home screen. Every completed goal gives a reward — you have to claim it with the button. Money rewards can be claimed after your club's first official (cup) match. The "Go" button next to a goal opens the section where you complete it. What else is on Home is explained in "The Home screen".

Days 2–3. Make the team your own

• Go to "Tactics" and check that every player is in his own position. A player out of position plays worse, and the game shows it next to his name.
• Change one thing — for example, the mentality — and play another friendly. Compare the stats. How to read tactics is explained in "Tactics: the basics".
• The experience your players earned in matches can be spent on attributes: "Training → Skills". More in "Individual development".

Days 3–4. Your first cup and your first coach

• Cups are the main source of income. Only home cup matches bring ticket money, and reaching the bracket and every stage pays prize money. You play in cups of your own rank — on the "Cups" page it is marked "you". Pick an open cup and enter.
• Hire your first coach in "Staff". A head coach speeds up the development of the whole squad. Who else is on the staff is explained in "Staff: who does what". A staff contract runs for 90 days and is paid up front, so count your budget.

Days 5–7. The market and the people

• Add a few players to the "Watchlist" on the transfer market so you do not lose track of them. If you have a scout on the staff, he will also tell you when a player from the list is put up for transfer. Do not rush to buy: prices grow with a player's level. More in "Watchlist and scouting".
• Look into the chat or the forum. There are always managers there who have already walked your path.

What not to do in the first week

• Do not spend all your money on day one: the sponsor pays every Monday, but building maintenance is charged too. More in "Club economy".
• Do not sell your starting players until you understand who you need.
• Do not train at maximum intensity every day: tired players get injured more often.