Kianga’s rise to Slovan earns praise from former Rossington coach

Manasse Kianga's rise from football in South Yorkshire to Slovan Bratislava has drawn praise from the coach who brought him to Rossington Main. In a BBC report published on Wednesday, Ben Hunter recalled recognising the forward's potential at a trial and described the progress of a player he still keeps in touch with.

Hunter told the BBC that Kianga combined speed and physical ability with an enthusiastic approach, although he was still developing when he arrived. The connection with Rossington came through his brother Bobby, who also briefly played for the club. Kianga was living in Rotherham and playing Sunday league football before helping Main secure promotion in 2023.

The Northern Counties East Football League's account of his career, sourced to Rossington Main, records that Kianga joined in 2019 at the age of 17. His time there also included short spells with Grantham Town, Worksop Town and Sheffield. The league reported that work-permit difficulties prompted a return to South Africa in 2024, followed by a move to Slovakia with Lokomotiva Kosice.

That route eventually took him to Slovan's reserves and then the senior side under Yaya Toure. According to the league's report, injuries created the opening for his promotion. Kianga subsequently scored a stoppage-time winner against Mjallby in the first leg of a Champions League third-round qualifying tie, contributing to Slovan's run towards the league phase.

Slovan's official player profile lists the 24-year-old as a centre-forward who can also operate on the right. Its published records show two goals and two assists across his first three league appearances this season, alongside a goal in Champions League qualifying. The club also records two goals in a September cup appearance against Slovan Nitra Chrenova.

His development also involved Thomas Rotherham College, where he studied business and accounting. Assistant principal Chris Walls told the BBC that professional clubs had overlooked Kianga despite his performances in the college's football academy. Walls said he reached the last 30 at England schoolboy trials but could not obtain a passport in time for the final squad.