This sounds horrible. Andrew: You say you won't try future Facebook games. What about Civilization: Network?

My experience with the game is quite contrasting in comparison to yours. I will admit, this is a very hands-off soccer management title. Outside of getting to adjust your line-up and selecting a few different exercises, the game is largely an imaginary game of dice-rolling. But even with the limited control, I am actually enjoying myself and I haven't had to spend a single penny to have that fun.

At this moment, I've played for about two weeks and currently, I am a Level 10 manager with my team FK Bruka in the Amateur A Division. 

There are ways of improving your team, cash and experience without having to shell out real dollars. I would strongly recommend instead of buying players first, improve your stadium. The better your stadium is the more money and experience you get after each match. Even if I lose a game, I still net a good amount of cash against AI competitors and I think that is what you're lacking, and why you're still stuck at level three. I only have 4 other people playing with me on my Facebook (and two of which work for EA Sports) so I don't rely on the friends bonuses to improve that much.

I see this as a work in progress that will get better over time, it won't replace the real FIFA Manager game but when you just want to waste a few minutes on Facebook, it does what it has to do.

One more tip, get your friends to send you gifts. Gifts include players, money and match credits; there are so many options at having fun without spending the cash. If you want, add me on Facebook and I'll send you a gift.

@jason: I was excited for Civ: Network, but after I read your GamePro article, I began to get worried. I wasn't impressed with Civ Revolution for the DS, which was Meier-led, and I imagine that Civ: Network will be similarly underwhelming. With all this talk of social media, and how this game was an express example of a lot of what you hear through panels, I can only imagine Civ: Network will be the same. Unless the game changes the social network gaming landscape, I'll avoid it.

@Marko: I'm not sure if its imaginary dice-rolling. I have my team maxed out in training, but has very little talent. My scores do compare, often higher, than my opponents, but I still can't win. They have more talent than I, so I assume the game skew towards talent over training, which makes me wonder what the combined score is for in the first place.

My problem is that I can't waste a few minutes on Facebook, because the timelines are too long and they are very few options. For the past two days, I have logged on, lost a couple games and that's it. I will continue with the game, because I do want my $10 worth, come hell or high water, but I have very little hope. I'll try the stadium upgrades, but at my current pace, it will be 2 days before I can upgrade that, and honestly I'd rather the players instead of some abstracted bonus. That's what the game should be about...it is called Superstars. But thanks for the advice, we'll see if it works. If it does, I still stand behind my article :)

Oh man, sound grueling. I may need to try it.

Simililarly to you I'm not too big on Facebook games and I decided to give this one a shot because the World Cup has me very excited.

The game does not allow you to do much, as you explain, but the point of it is not managing much yet. It's just getting your friends to play it. In order to win the different leagues, get coins and XP and be able to improve your team you just need to log in everyday and the more friends playing it you have, the more matches you'll play. Playing them does not give you much money or XP but beating them occasionally gives you more match credits, which is why you will want to have a good enough team and more and more friends playing the game.

I guess that's what they call "social gaming" which is not very similar to gaming as we knew it, but attracts many people. I have to say I'm still playing it and for some reason want to get some gold players. Maybe after that it will bore me.

The World Cup addition is somewhat a good idea though. The WC credits will grant you coins and players (click on its icon to see the rewards), and I'm curious how well I can guess the results (compared to my friends) and what else they implement to get those coins.

Additionally, Playfish-addicted colleagues have told me that the games are in constant evolution and are totally different a month after launch so stuff like trading and many other additions might make it more enjoyable in the end. I'm giving it a shot, maybe it will disencourage me for good for future games of this type, but I will be able to say I tried!

Oh, and spending money I think is not the point of it. It's the point of it for Playfish, of course, that some players spend money, but not if you just want to try and get to know if social gaming's for  you. Just play it a bit everyday, try to get 10-15 friends do the same and the 5-10 mins you dedicate to it each day should suffice.