No compassion, goodwill for oneself? Someone, possible thought it might be compassionate, stated:


  Also (next to compassion), when you spread loving kindness, do NOT spread it to yourself. No where in any discourse does the Buddha says to spread loving kindness to your self. All the places when Buddha talks about metta, he says to spread loving kindness to all beings in each directions.


Possible to have real compassion or/and goodwill, not to speak about mudita and upekkha, without having one self floated with it.

So is this true or the very base not traced? Possible Nihilist-Trap? Possible that certain Kings at Buddhas times have been wiser and more compassionate as intellectuals may ever be? Possible not seen the qualities of Ariyasāvakas and thought in common terms?

[Note: this question is one of compassion and not thought for trade, exchange, stackes, Buddh-ism, or whatever binds to the low.]
The metta sutta was probably addressed to monks because the stanza opens with already being established in the noble eightfold path, as follows:


  This is what should be done
      By one who is skilled in goodness,
  And who knows the path of peace:
      Let them be able and upright,
  Straightforward and gentle in speech,
      Humble and not conceited,
  Contented and easily satisfied,
      Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
  Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
      Not proud or demanding in nature.
  Let them not do the slightest thing
      That the wise would later reprove.
  Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
      May all beings be at ease.


Also, the Buddha indeed mentioned to care first for oneself and then for others. This is not egoism, but intelligent self-care. The dhammapada states:


  One should first establish oneself in what is proper; then only one should teach others. A wise man should not incur reproach.


Dhammapada 158


  By oneself indeed is evil done and by oneself is one defiled; by oneself is evil not done and by oneself is one purified. Purity and impurity depend entirely on oneself; no one can purify another.


Dhammapada 165


  For the sake of another's benefit, however great it may be, do not neglect one's own (moral) benefit. Clearly perceiving one's own benefit one should make every effort to attain it.


Dhammapada 166

Also, the Buddha was a proponent of flexibility in his approach. You might know this as conventional language (to lay people) and absolute (to monks). The teachings on both addressee vary. Sometimes, the Buddha remained even silent because it was not connected to the goal, i.e., reduce suffering (&amp; Nibbana).

Take  for example MN 20 or Capala Sutta AN 7.58. In both suttas Buddha gave a number of strategies that can be employed. The idea is to be flexible and to see what works in any given time. 'Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't'. 'If it doesn't, let me use this instead'.