Questions over role of Brazilians as Malkia Strikers flatter to deceive

With the African Nations Championship and Africa Games on card next year, the Kenya Volleyball Federation may have to renegotiate with the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) to extend the involvement of Brazilian coaches with the national women’s team “Malkia Strikers.”

Or should they?

There was hope that “Malkia Strikers” would proceed to the second round on this year’s World Championships in Poland and the Netherlands with the arrival of the four Brazilians, led by head coach Luizomar de Moura.

But they came unstuck and didn’t go past group stage. The other Brazilians on call were assistant coach Jefferson Arosti, strength and conditioning trainer Marcelo Vitorino de Souza and team manager Roberto Opice Neto.

But veteran Kenya coach Paul Bitok said going forward, he would love to see the national team train in Europe and not only in South America as they did this year.

“We had more cons than pros under the Brazilians which should not be the case,” argues Bitok. “While their connections helped us to play more friendly matches, their input was wanting.

“A couple of times, we had to disagree on the starting line-up but at the end of it all, it’s sad that we didn’t achieve our set goal which was to proceed to the next stage,” regretted Bitok.

The coaches’ initiative was spearheaded by the FIVB as part of the empowerment programme.

The Brazilians were previously attached to Kenya during the delayed Tokyo Olympics. With the presence of the Luizomar-led team, Kenyan coaches, led by Bitok and Japheth Munala took a back seat as the Brazilians took charge, a development Bitok now faults saying the visitors didn't know the culture of the team.

Kenya only managed a consolation victory against their African rivals Cameroon, winning 3-0 in Group “A.”

Kenya finished 19th in the 24-team championship that saw Serbia successfully defend their title.

Kenya reclaimed their dominance in Africa with the latest FIVB rankings placing the country 30th globally while Cameroon was ranked 31st.

The KVF shot themselves in the foot when they elected to send 16 players for a two-month training stint in Brazil, rather than negotiate to have the international tacticians pitch camp in Kenya which could have benefited a larger pool of players as well as local coaches.

In fact, KVF should have championed for players from the secondary schools to undergo the training to ensure the growth of talent.

While the players got the chance to play friendly matches against Osasco, Bradesco Esportes, Sesi Sorocaba and Esporte Clube Pinheiros, among other clubs, in Brazil, Bitok and Munala weren’t convinced.

“There was nothing new that we learnt in Brazil. On many occasions, the Brazilian coaches never consulted us on the dynamics of the team when at some point we saw the team’s performance was deteriorating.  I hope that the federation will have a better arrangement in future,” Munala argued.

Despite the men’s squad having been largely inactive, they had more players turn professional than the women’s side, a clear indication that there was talent with limited exposure.

The mass export of the men players was pegged on Kenya breaking the duck to beat Egypt 3-2 during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Rwanda.
Among the key exports this year were Eliud Chirchir (Grand Nancy, France), Simion Kipkorir (Mouloudia Sportive de Bou Salem, Tunisia), Brian Melly (Omnisports De Meknes,Morocco) and Enock Mogeni (Oita Moyish, Japan).

Others are Moses Omondi (Ernie Kurdistan, Iraq) Peter Kamara (Nabih Saleh,Bahrain) and Dennis Omollo (Majee Sports Club, Oman).

The Malkia Strikers only have star Sharon Chepchumba, Veronica Adhiambo and Noel Murambi on the flights abroad.

Chepchumba is with club Aris Hessaloniki of Greece, Adhiambo is away with Turkish Ligi side Tarsus Belediyespor and Murambi is attached to Cyprus Division ‘A’ side Lemesos.

General Service Unit (GSU), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and new comers Trailblazers will represent the country in the annual African Club Championship next year after they finished in the first, second and third, respectively, in the KVF men’s national play-offs.

GSU will, hopefully, be returning to the event after they missed last year’s edition due to financial constraints.

KPA finished fifth while their compatriots Equity Bank finished 10th in the continental tournament in Tunisia last year which Egypt’s Al Ahly won with a 3-1 domination of Tunisia’s Esperance in the final. No Kenyan team has ever won the men’s continental championship with Prisons being the best performer after finishing second in 2011.

Women’s beach volleyball

In the women’s category, the country’s representatives will be known next month after the league took a break to pave way for Malkia Strikers’ preparations for Worlds.

Last year in Tunisia, Kenya’s representatives KCB, Kenya Pipeline and Kenya Prisons posted impressive performances.

KCB clinched the title with a 3-2 victory over Al Ahly while Pipeline finished third and Prisons settled for fifth place.

In women’s beach volleyball, KVF must cast their net wide as the pair of Brackcidise Agala and Gaudencia Makokha, who put the country on map in qualifying for the Olympics for the first time, can only do so much, given their advancing age.

But Confederation of Africa Volleyball (CAVB) beach committee member Ben Juma is optimistic everything “is under control.” “The gap was bridged. Agala, Makokha, Naomi Too and Phosca Kasisi, who are among the pioneers of the sport, have really done well and the transition is on course with the steady rise of Veronica Adhiambo among other players,” he assures. “In fact, more players are pulling in the direction,” says Juma.

Agala and Makokha competed in the World Championship in Italy, Commonwealth Games qualifiers in Ghana and the Commonwealth Games proper in Birmingham.

They featured at the Commonwealth qualifiers alongside Too and Adhiambo in Ghana where Kenya finished third behind the hosts and winners Mauritius.

In Birmingham, Makokha and Agala, who were drawn in Pool “A”, failed to go past the group stage, finishing third behind Canada and New Zealand
The pair of Ibrahim Odouri and James Mwaniki, Donald Mchete and Nicholas Langat finished fourth in the qualifiers and failed to represent Kenya at the “Club” Games. Team captain Odour said he was ready to hand over the baton.

“The sport has been embraced and it’s just a matter of time before the country begin to conquer the continent and be regulars at the world stage,” said Odour.

Meanwhile, the KVF elections are scheduled for early next year as long-serving chairman Waithaka Kioni exits the stage.

“I thank the entire volleyball fraternity for the confidence you have had in me all these years. As my time to exit the leadership of the federation is fast approaching, I take this opportunity to express my best wishes to the entire volleyball family in the years ahead,” said Kioni.

Deputy chairman Charles Nyaberi, second vice chairman David Kilundo and former international player Edward Kisaka have all thrown their hats in the ring for the position of chairman.

[email protected]