• The experienced coach recently guided the oil merchants to a fifth-place finish at the African Club Championships where Gitau believes his young player gained valuable experience.
• Pipeline are known for recruiting young players and have turned to schools, especially Kwanthanze, for emerging talent and their strategy remains as before.
Kenya Pipeline are moving towards signing experienced players to blend with their youthful squad as they seek to fight for trophies on all fronts, coach Paul Gitau has said.
Gitau is keen to add proven players in the setting and left attacking positions to provide competition for the young players.
The experienced coach recently guided the oil merchants to a fifth-place finish at the African Club Championships where Gitau believes his young player gained valuable experience.
"I have assessed the squad. We need to reinforce the team with proven performers. We need to win matches and experience matters. Another setter and a left attacker, who can also be a receiver could offer good solutions for us. We won't just sign anybody but we'll go for quality," said the tactician.
"I want the transition for the young players to be very smooth. Of course, our recruitment policy has not changed as we seek to find better solutions."
Even though captain Rose Magoi and budding setter Esther Mutinda have proven equal to the task in the setting department, Gitau wants quality additions. He also feels 19-year-old attacker Pamela Adhiambo, who is in Malkia Strikers squad in preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, needs a mentor who can fashion out the killer instinct in her.
"We count on Magoi and Mutinda a lot. Pamela is a star for the future and we want a fresh face who can help bring the best out of her. That killer instinct in attack is what we are looking for," said Gitau.
Pipeline are known for recruiting young players and have turned to schools, especially Kwanthanze, for emerging talent and their strategy remains as before.
"The team will continue signing young players but mindful of the balance," said Gitau.
Pipeline recently tied down five of their experienced players with permanent jobs as a reward for their hard work and to make them feel settled at the club.