Gitau itching to end five-year trophy drought at Pipeline

Kenya Pipeline coach Paul Gitau has promised to wipe off the dust at the club’s trophy cabinet by reclaiming the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) National League title they last won in 2017.

Gitau, who joined the club in January 2020, has taken Pipeline through a rebuilding phase after the departure and retirement of key players such as Janet Wanja, Leonida Kasaya, Esther Wangeci and Ruth Jepng’etich.

His project seems to have finally taken off in the 2021/22 season after Pipeline finished top of the league standings unbeaten with 15 points.

And Gitau is leaving nothing to chance for the end of season play-offs scheduled for January 13 to 15 in Mombasa.

“I wanted them to rest until January 3 but I changed my mind because of the short time we have to prepare for the play-offs. My target is to win the play-offs so that I can officially confirm that we are the champions,” Gitau told Nation Sport on Wednesday at the team’s training base in Pipeline estate, Nairobi.

“I want this team to end this season with a title because it’s been a long journey. We have struggled for two years without winning a title but our management has been very supportive. Even now we are training at our own indoor gymnasium so it’s high time we pay them back,” he underlined.

The veteran coach is further encouraged by the fine form of his senior players Trizah Atuka and Rose Magoi as well as maturity of the youngsters Gladys Ekaru and Pamela Adhiambo especially during the last two legs of the 2021/22 season in Mombasa and Mosoriot.

“The last two legs were the turning point for this team because we won some important matches. This team is not as experienced as people may think. They are still gaining momentum but if they win the title, it will the beginning of good things for them,” observed Gitau, who beat bitter rivals KCB and Kenya Prisons over the two legs.

Pipeline will be without the trio of Violet Makuto, Noel Murambi and Veronica Oluoch, who recently turned professional, for the play-offs but Gitau insists he has capable youngsters for the Mombasa job.

“The young players have gained confidence and you could see from those matches (in Mombasa and Mosoriot) that they are taking responsibility in key moments of the game. They have started believing that they are also big names in Kenyan volleyball,” noted Gitau, singling out Daisy Chepkorir and Miriam Chelimo for praise.

The 2021/22 season was initially planned to end in June this year but was delayed after clubs released players for the national team’s High Performance training in Brazil for the World Championships.