maybe a plan: save lots of tokens/green packs, then sell all players at the end of season, only keeping 3* fast trainers. After cup draw, buy a few scouts and 5* players (if realistic on your server), and train the now 2* fast trainers up. I was lucky, i got the cup in season 2 since I entered in the 2nd half of season 1 and got promoted with a rather crappy team, which improved quickly after I learned the ropes of the game. In season 3 my team was already so good it was hard to improve considerably at the beginning of the season.