GSU wants to test his charges against top sides
General Service Unit (GSU) players Cornelius Kiplagat (left) and Abiud Kipkirui (centre) celebrate a point during their 2018 Kenya Volleyball Federation national league play-offs match against Kenya Prisons played at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on December 3, 2018.
What you need to know:
- GSU finished in fifth place in this year’s African men’s club championships.
- The paramilitary side are this year's KVF national champions.
- Tarus targets podium finish in next year's African championships.
General Service Unit (GSU) coach Gideon Tarus has urged the management of the club to organize for international friendlies as part of their preparations for next year’s CAVB Africa men’s Club Championship.
The paramilitary side continued from where they left from during the regular season. They topped the standings with 44 points and carried their impressive form into the play offs where they picked maximum points to win a record 13th Kenya Volleyball Federation national league title.
Tarus, who guided GSU to a fifth place finish in this year’s African men’s club championships in Egypt, insists he still has unfinished business on the continent. He believes that his troops can match up with much fancied North African teams.
“Our focus now shifts to the preparations for next year’s competition. Our big win against Prisons shows that we don’t have competition locally. We need to test ourselves against teams that will give us a true picture of where we are,” he said.
GSU would rather lose to superior opposition than thrash weaker local teams if they need to learn and improve, Tarus says imploring his superiors to organise international friendlies for his team. “I hope our management team will organize for international friendlies before we go for the Club Championships. These friendlies will help us gauge ourselves,” he added.
With the Club Championships slated for March next year at a venue yet to be decided, Tarus has already mapped out a program that will see his charges resume training early January for preseason training.
“We don’t have a lot of time left. I will give them a break for the festive season the we resume in January. We will work on their fitness then start training in the indoor facility very early. Our target is to finish in the podium places and show that men’s clubs can do as well as ladies in Africa,” offered Tarus.
Prisons Kenya is the only local men's side that has finished in the top three positions in the recent past having finished second behind Egyptian giants Al Ahly in 2011.
