Sansara leaves Saddlers
RISING defender Netan Sansara is considering his next move after leaving League One side Walsall.
The 20-year-old has had a good spell with the Saddlers ever since making his first team debut at the start of the 2008/9 season.
He made 19 appearances this season.
A number of clubs are interested in acquiring Sansara’s services for next season but the youngster is still weighing up his options.
He was the subject of a move to Championship side Watford last summer but decided to stay another year with Walsall.
Amir ready to silence the doubters
AMIR KHAN dismissed suggestions he is running away from the big fights.
The world champion has hit back at critics by saying he will be looking to take on the best in the division once he has beaten Paulie Malignaggi.
But Khan is concentrating on defending his WBA light-welterweight title against Malignaggi at Madison Square Garden on May 15.
“This is not an easy fight like some people claim and after this I will silence people by fighting one of the top Americans,” claimed Khan.
“I’ve heard a lot of people accusing me of taking the easy route and that is crazy – I fight the men that my promoters put in front of me.
“There are other champions at the moment and I want to start lining them up right now.”
Khan is in full fight mode having received his work permit to re-enter the USA following a period in Canada.
Khan’s second defence of his world title against Malignaggi will be live on ITV1 in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Bhatia back in the ring this week!
AKAASH BHATIA will be making his second appearance of 2010 this week.
The featherweight will appear on the undercard of Shinny Bayaar’s British flyweight title defence against Ashley Sexton at the Goresbrook Leisure Centre in Dagenham on Friday (14).
The 27-year-old made a winning return to the ring earlier in the year when he comfortably out-pointed Mickey Coveney at Brentwood in January.
Bhatia is hoping to get a shot at the British featherweight title, currently held by Martin Lyndsay.
‘Keeper Singh released by Kidderminster Harriers
GOALKEEPER Jasbir Singh is on the lookout for a new club after being released by Blue Square Premier side Kidderminster Harriers.
The former Shrewsbury Town trainee has spent the majority of the season acting as understudy to both Dean Coleman and on-loan keeper Ross Atkins.
Singh made five appearances for Harriers this season, making his debut in the 4-1 win over Grays Athletic in January.
Shabir stays put at Worcester City
PAKISTAN defender Shabir Khan has decided to stay at Worcester City, despite attracting attention from higher up the football pyramid.
The left-back was out of contract at the end of the season and was mooted for a move to Kidderminster Harriers in the Blue Square Premier.
But Khan has decided to show local club Worcester some loyalty despite their relegation from the Blue Square South division.
Khan has been one of their best players over the past few seasons and was called up to the Pakistan national squad for the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship last December.
Hitman goes for Gold in Germany
KICK BOXING champion Sunny Hira is set to fight for his fourth world title in Germany later this month.
The Hitman from Handsworth will take on German Johannes Wolf on May 22 at Hotel Domizil, Ingolstadt.
Hira will be stepping up in weight to take on champion Wolf for his ISKA featherweight title.
The 27-year-old already holds three world titles including the ISKA super-bantamweight title he won in June 2008.
Hira won the Most Up and Coming Sports Personality of the Year award at last year’s British Asian Sports Awards.
Wolf meanwhile has won 28 of his 30 bouts, with 16 kos. He has lost just once and also drawn a fight.
For more info on Hira’s bout in Germany or to book tickets, flights etc, contact: gilbertson2@hotmail.co.uk
Zesh wins community award!
BRADFORD skipper Zesh Rehman has won the Professional Footballers Association’s Player in the Community award for 2010.
The 26-year-old Pakistan international, who has represented England at under-18, under-19 and under-20 level, received the award at Sunday night’s gala dinner at Grosvenor House, Park Lane in recognition of his work in the Asian community of Bradford.
Rehman said: “I’m very honoured to have won this award, I feel very humbled. But had I not won, I would have continued to work in the community because I believe in it strongly.
“Hopefully other clubs can start to look at Bradford and use them as a template and mirror what we do in their club.
“For me, football is the way of integrating the mainstream of society and if I want to try and help the next generation whether they’re Asian, English or African to get involved in football – football is the perfect vehicle to make a difference, it’s followed by everyone and is an ideal way to get kids to do something with themselves.”
Football League awards judge and former Bradford winger Peter Beagrie said: “Zesh is a great communicator, leader and role model. He’s a national ambassador, comfortable being charged with the job of uniting a multi-racial community.”
BRITISH ASIAN SPORTS AWARDS WINNERS!!!!
Here’s a list of winners at this year’s British Asian Sports Awards, which took place on Saturday (6) at the Grosvenor Hotel in London’s Park Lane.
Well done to all the winners and those who were shortlisted for the awards.
WINNERS OF THE 2010 BRITISH ASIAN SPORTS AWARDS!!!
HSBC Young Sports Personality of the Year
* Viroshan Gnanapandithan
Madhus Coach of the Year
* Sivakumar Renganathan
Shana Junior Sports Personality of the Year Male
* Jesse Mander
Junior Sports Personality of the Year Female
* Riana Devi Soobadoo
Cobra Beer Most Up & Coming Personality of the Year
* Raj Hundal
Anand Hyundai Outstanding Achievement Award
* Salma Bi
Community Business in Sport
* Amit Bhatia
Astra Lifetime Achievement Award
* Arjuna Ranatunga
Genesis Networks International Sports Personality of the Year
* Saina Nehwal
Champagne Moment of the Year
* Amir Khan
Change 4 Life Sports Personality of the Year
* Isa Guha
Chops relishing Newcastle return
MICHAEL CHOPRA is relishing his return to Newcastle on Friday night – but knows he’s in for a rough time.
The Cardiff City striker is looking to continue his goal-scoring form when his side travel to St James Park to play the Championship leaders.
But Chopra, who has scored 14 goals in the league this season, said he was expecting to get some stick from the home fans.
But the 26-year-old is prepared to run riot against the Magpies and strengthen Cardiff’s position in the play-off places.
“I can’t wait. This is one of the matches I’ve been looking forward to since the fixtures came out,” Chopra told Cardiff City’s official website.
“Thankfully for me, I’m starting to score goals at the right time.
“I have a lot of belief in my ability and when I went 13 or 14 games without a goal, it was affecting me a little bit but I knew I just had to keep going and keep creating chances.
“If you look at me in the last few games, I could have got a hat-trick on Saturday, but it wasn’t to be, although we still managed to get the win.
“I’m enjoying my football and back on a scoring run again. On Saturday, I scored the hardest chance of the three I got, and maybe it was a little lapse in concentration.
“The reception I got at Newcastle last season was bad. It was a local derby and I was playing for Sunderland. I knew when I went to Sunderland that I’d get a reception like that at Newcastle. Hopefully, Friday won’t be as bad, but I’ll still get stick.
“I watch Newcastle a lot. When the manager gives me time off and I go home, I’ll watch them play.
“Obviously I take an interest in the club because it’s where I was brought up, and another thing is that it’s a football game and I enjoy watching games. My mates are all Newcastle fans.
“But if I’m one on one with the keeper on Friday, I’ll be sticking it in the back of the net.”
Raj Hundal: The new Barry Hearn?
POOL KING Raj Hundal is hoping to move into the promotions game and host his own events in 2010.
The Hitman from Hounslow has won a host of tournaments and trophies around the world on the pool table.
But he is now looking to move into a new direction and make a big noise about Pool, in the same way as Barry Hearn has done with darts.
“I’m working on a number of different projects this year,” said Hundal, who has been nominated for the Most Up and Coming Personality of the year award at this year’s British Asian Sports Awards.
“The main thing I’m putting in a lot of work in is going into promotions.
“I’m looking to host my first event, which will have all the best players competing against each other.”
