Highlanders new coach Elroy Akbay has been set a target of finishing in the top four in the upcoming season.

The Dutchman arrived in Bulawayo on Tuesday a few days after being issued with a work permit.

His delay in starting work was slowly unsettling Highlanders fans and executive but he began work soon after arriving on Tuesday and he would be assisted by Amini Soma-Phiri and Cosmas Zulu.

Highlanders chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede revealed that Akbay has signed a two-year performance-based contract and will not be under pressure to win the league title this season.

“Akbay is here on a two-year performance-based contract. In the first year he would be finding his feet,” Gumede said.

“We expect him to stay with the leading pack in the first 10 games. It may sound steep but he has accepted that Highlanders are a very big club. For now, you cannot really blame him for the choice of players that he finds at the club. So a top four would be deemed reasonable this year but next season there will be no excuses because he would have acclimatised.”

Highlanders last won the league title in 2006.

Akbay arrives at the club which has lost a number of players in Nqobizitha Masuku, Valentine Ndaba, Teenage Hadebe, Obadiah Tarumbwa, Mthulisi Maphosa and Ishamael Wadi.

The Bulawayo giants are yet to make a major signing so far this pre-season.