'simplicity Is Genius' - From The Premier League To Irish Cup

He's played astatine Old Trafford and nan Emirates, scored astatine Wembley and featured successful 1 of football's biggest tournaments.

Yet it's a mini municipality successful Northern Ireland, playing successful beforehand of 2,000 group astir weeks, wherever Gael Bigirimana feels astir astatine home.

From Newcastle United to Dungannon Swifts, it's been immoderate travel for nan Burundi international.

The 31-year-has been a revelation since moving to Stangmore Park successful 2023, and he has helped nan Irish Premiership's underdogs to a second-ever Irish Cup last and a imaginable European adventure.

Bigirimana is loved successful Dungannon, and that emotion is mutual.

In his words, sometimes "simplicity is genius".

"I've been connected nan different extremity of wherever I americium now, erstwhile I was astatine specified a large nine and earning money that, arsenic a kid, I ne'er would person dreamed of," said Bigirimana, who played for Burundi astatine nan Africa Cup of Nations successful 2019.

"I cognize nan use of each nan finance and glamour of playing astatine a high-level team, but you tin suffer nan simplicity and emotion of nan game.

"That's what it's each about, group helping each different and building a organization wherever others tin person inspiration."

Bigirmana says he has ever been shot huffy and says nan "simplicity" and "challenge" of playing astatine Dungannon were portion of nan appeal.

"I person nosy doing it, nan ups and downs that travel pinch it.

"Could I travel present and make an effect and service this club? And service my team-mates to alteration them to get nan champion retired of themselves and do well?

"That was my ambition to travel here, and I'm thankful to God that nan fruits are showing."

It's a world distant from nan riches of nan Premier League, wherever Bigirimana played for Newcastle United and made 25 appearances for nan nine successful 2013.

After moving connected to St James' Park, he had a successful spell pinch Coventry, and went connected to characteristic pinch Motherwell, Glentoran and Young Africans successful Tanzania.

But now, Bigirimana, on pinch his woman and 2 children, has embedded himself successful nan organization successful Dungannon, which is located successful nan bosom of County Tyrone.

"It's been a blessed clip for me, my woman and my 2 kids," he added.

"We've enjoyed nan municipality and group are really, really friendly.

"As a human, you tin only inquire for specified a beardown organization and they would spell an other mile to make judge you are good looked after."

Despite a profession that spans 11 years, much than 250 appearances successful 4 countries, Bigirimana has conscionable 1 badge from his profession arsenic a professional.

That came successful nan Checkatrade Trophy last successful 2017, erstwhile he scored nan opening extremity astatine Wembley arsenic Coventry City defeated Oxford United 2-1.

While he says nan clip astatine Newcastle United was "a awesome acquisition that will instrumentality pinch maine for nan remainder of my life", that last pinch Coventry was nan "highlight" of his career.

But that could beryllium astir to change.

Dungannon Swifts person ne'er won nan Irish Cup - nan astir prestigious knockout trophy successful Northern Irish football.

"I deliberation it would beryllium nan champion item of my career, 100%," Bigirimana said erstwhile asked wherever winning nan Irish Cup would rank.

"The crippled against Cliftonville will beryllium a difficult crippled because they are specified a beardown club.

"They person immoderate very bully players and we cognize nan obstacles that are successful beforehand of us.

"For nan club, nan town, having a mini fund and america being part-time, for america to assistance that trophy would make maine a very happy man.

"It's going to beryllium specified a immense time for Dungannon Swifts and for nan town.

"We are really looking guardant to it."