Kris Commons sees light ahead after suffering darkest time at Tynecastle

THAT football is a team game is illustrated by Kris Commons’ experiences this season. Although it has been such a frustrating campaign for him personally, the midfielder will still earn a precious championship medal.

This could be confirmed as early as today, when Celtic need just a point from their trip to Kilmarnock to clinch the title. Commons’ contributions of late have allowed him to be more optimistic about his participation this afternoon than he might otherwise have been. He set up Georgios Samaras’ goal against St Johnstone last weekend, and provided a neat assist for Anthony Stokes to put Celtic ahead in the league game at Aberdeen last month.

There are signs that he is recovering after what he yesterday described as his darkest moment, which came in the heat of a mad moment at Tynecastle in October. He picked up a second successive red card at the ground for a flying challenge on Hearts player Adrian Mrowiec, having only just been restored to the starting line-up after a series of niggling injuries.

“It was the first time in my football career that I’ve ever gone over the edge and lost my head a little bit,” Commons admitted. “It was a dark time for me but you have to regroup, work hard and get back in the right frame of mind to win football matches.”

There were rumours of a fall-out with Neil Lennon, his manager. He disputed it at the time, turning up at training one morning swathed in bandages, in what was a send-up of the claims he had even traded punches with Lennon. However, there was, he now concedes, a violent look from the manager, in the aftermath of an incident which saw Celtic’s hopes of earning something from the match quickly evaporate.

“There was a glare in his eyes,” recalled Commons. “I knew he was upset and it is something that will never happen in my career again. I went home and watched the game and had conversations with people I trust,” added Commons.

“The major thing for me coming away from that game was embarrassment. I’ve never played that poorly, never shown that anger, that sort of tackle, never done anything like that in my career. That was a new low, so I just need to have more of a laid back approach and let things roll and make things happen off the park rather than work so hard on it and getting so irate.”

Rather than reflect on a disappointing season for him personally, Commons prefers to judge his Celtic career from last January, when he joined. He went on to enjoy a productive first few months. Something which has remained constant is the drama, from the Old Firm showdowns of last season to Rangers’ financial woes. “I’ve had 12 months here and it has maintained its craziness,” he smiled.

He has though shelved, for the present time, his ambitions with Scotland. “If I’m being honest, no,” he said when asked if he had considered a Scotland return. “If I start thinking about that I’ll take my eye off what I’m paid to do, really – and that’s play well for Celtic. I’m channelling all my energy into the desire to get back into the starting eleven and maintain being in the team.”