KPL: Akhulia takes blame as struggling Bidco United eye survival

Speaking after Bidco’s hard-fought 1–1 draw away to Kenya Police FC, Akhulia reflected on a season that promised much early on before slipping into frustration.

“We started the league very well, but we found ourselves near the bottom of the table,” he said. “A big part of that has been injuries, which really affected our consistency.”

Bidco currently sits 16th on the table with just 16 points from 19 matches, having managed only three wins all season.

A prolonged struggle in front of the goal has defined their campaign, with the Oil Merchants scoring only 11 goals, the second-lowest tally in the league.

However, Akhulia believes there are clear signs of improvement. “For a long time, we were not scoring at all,” he admitted.

“We went six, seven, or even eight matches without a single goal. But now, in our last four matches, we have scored in every game. That tells me something is finally working going forward.”

While encouraged by their attacking progress, the coach acknowledged that defensive lapses continue to cost them valuable points.

“Now the issue is conceding,” he said. “We need to go back, review, and see how we can score and still protect what we have so we don’t keep dropping points.”

Despite Bidco’s current nine-match winless run, Akhulia remains confident the team can do enough to stay up.

“We still have a few matches to go,” he said. “I am very sure that if we stick together and get even five or six wins, we will still be in this league next season.”

Asked directly whether he takes responsibility for the team’s struggles, Akhulia was unequivocal.

“I always take the blame,” he said. “I am the coach. I make the decisions. I recruit the players. Everything starts and stops with me, so the responsibility is mine.”

Bidco’s survival push continues on February 13 when they host Kakamega Homeboyz, a fixture that could prove pivotal as the Oil Merchants fight to retain their top-flight status.