Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GAEL IS NO BLOW IN
Bigirimana keen to show he means business at the Glens
ONE suspects Glentoran new boy Gael Bigirimana didn’t expect the flight path of his career to land him on the gritty but homely terrain of East Belfast.
At the start of the decade the Burundi midfielder was dancing under the bright lights of the Premier League with Newcastle United.
Fast forward eight years and the engaging 26-year-old is part of manager Mick Mcdermott and owner Ali Pour’s quest to return Glentoran to the top table of local football.
“The past is the past and I can’t change that,” said Bigirimana ahead of tonight’s high-profile Europa League tie with Motherwell at Fir Park.
“People might look at me coming here as a stepping stone and no one knows what the future holds, but I want to play a part in this club’s future.
“I want to win trophies and if Glentoran are successful that will help me bounce back.”
Bigirimana, who made his debut in pouring rain in last week’s 1-0 win over HB Torshavn, has packed a lot into his football journey so far.
He made his Coventry debut as a teenager before earning a big money move to Newcastle in 2012 at only 18 years of age.
He went on to play 26 times for the Magpies and featured in a memorable 4-3 defeat to Man United at Old Trafford in his first season with the North East club.
Stardom flirted with his CV only for first team chances to dry up, eventually forcing a return to Coventry in 2016. After that, the trajectory of his career has been a circuitous one.
Spells with Motherwell, Hibs and Solihull Moors followed before the Glens came calling.
“Looking back the best thing for me to have done was stay at Coventry,” he said. “I maybe took the wrong advice and ended up going to Newcastle.
“In my first year I did quite well and was in their Europa League squad where we reached the quarter-finals. I had some great experiences playing with great players.
“But it all comes down to me. I could point at managers, agents and all that, but at the end of the day I have to look myself in the mirror.
“I was probably immature and naive. Sometimes when you are young you are playing and everything is going well, and you just feel too comfortable.
“Now I’m 26 I just want to play as many games as possible and be as successful as I can.”
Bigirimana will secure a special place in Glentoran folklore if he can inspire a shock win over his former club Motherwell in tonight’s first qualifying round tie in Lanarkshire.
“You should never go into a game with the mindset of an underdog – that’s for the media, and for everyone else to speculate,” he insisted.
“Motherwell are a good side, but it is 11 versus 11, with one ball. It will come down to who wants it more.”