KCB set to bank coach Munala as tactician exits oil merchants

Coach Kenya Pipeline Women team Japheth Munala (left) and player Agripinah Kundu during National Volleyball playoff tournament at Kasarani stadium on Sunday, Dec 3, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images of Kenya Pipeline players falling flat on their face and holding their heads at the Kasarani Gymnasium on Monday seemed to sum up their current state and end of an era in Kenyan women’s volleyball.

They never expected it to happen this soon, more so against rivals Prisons Kenya whom they had beaten for the last four years under the tutelage of Japheth Munala.

The revenge must have been sweet for the youthful wardresses side as they overcame Pipeline 3-1 (25-19, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21)  to end their title drought.

But the question is, what went wrong for giants Pipeline to finish third, behind Prisons and Kenya Commercial Bank? And who takes the blame after an impressive run in the regular season?

While some players wept as they walked out of the Kasarani Gymnasium on Sunday after losing to KCB 3-2 others openly said that was a self-inflicted defeat. Pipeline will be missing next year’s African club championship in Egypt for the first time in over a decade.

“It was bound to happen. What do you expect from a team that is not motivated. Failing to plan is actually planning to fail. Drastic measures need to be taken before things get out of hands,” said a Pipeline player who sought anonymity.

Even before dust settles, Munala looks to be at crossroads over his future with the Embakasi-based outfit. The Malkia Strikers coach has admitted that talks over a switch to KCB are at an advanced stage.

“I’m yet to confirm my move to KCB but negotiations are still on. Pipeline also don’t want me to leave them. So, it will depend with who gives me the best offer,” Munala told Standard Sports.

“But I wouldn’t love to leave Pipeline at number three it will be shameful to me as a coach. I would like to fight and leave them where they are supposed to be before I go.”

While his managerial record and pedigree are undoubtedly vastly superior after winning four consecutive national titles with Pipeline, Munala seemed to have lost trust and authority in the dressing room after reports of his imminent move to KCB together with a section of players emerged a few weeks to the playoffs.

With that confusion and instability in the camp ahead of the tournament, the unfulfilled promise of building a modern gymnasium coupled with the sidelining of captain Trizah Atuka after undergoing stomach surgery and lack of players’ allowances, there is no merit or vindication in saying the oil merchants’ dominance was destined to end this year.

It was definitely going to end this way as the club’s decision-makers failed to address the real issues (contractual) after their six key players led by assistant captain Noel Murambi, former KVF most valuable player Violet Makuto, and Leonida Kasaya (centre) reportedly signed a precontract with the bankers.

Team manager Bernard Kimani then threw in the towel two weeks to the playoff. His decision to quit left more questions than answers.
The two incidents conveyed how those running the club don't appear to understand the field they're supposed to be operating in. That was an eerily reminiscent of a disastrous play-offs to come.

"It's a wake up call. We need to go back to the drawing board and start afresh putting in mind that most of the players are moving to KCB. So, we have to start building the team now,"said Munala.

"So many things have affected our performance this year and we hope the management is going to rectify them before starting the new season.I can't reveal the issues because they are indoors."

Though Pipeline beat Bungoma County by straight sets in their opening match, they literally struggled in all the fixtures with KCB making them look so ordinary before surrendering the title to their rivals Prisons on Monday.
It now remains to seen what measures the club's management will take as they seek to bounce back next year.