Kris Commons is '˜great signing' for Hibs says James Keatings

James Keatings was among members of the Hibernian squad who visited to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children. Picture: SNS.

However, Keatings is hopeful the Easter Road outfit can pull off an even bigger masterstroke by hanging on to the former Scotland internationalist beyond his initial signing deadline of next month.

Commons moved east on Friday to be reunited with his former Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, in a switch that had been mooted since the Hibs boss took over in the summer.

If things go according to plan for the 33-year-old former Nottingham Forest and Derby County attacker, the arrangement will boost Commons’ match readinesswhen he tries to force his way into Brendan Rodgers’ plans at Parkhead.

Yet, with the loan period covering matches against Raith Rovers, Falkirk and joint league leaders Dundee United, Keatings has no doubts of the significance for Hibs of the capture of his former Celtic role model as they find themselves separated by just goal difference from Dundee United at the summit of the Championship

“It’s a great signing for us,” beamed Keatings as the Hibs first team spread Christmas cheer with a visit to the Royal Hospital for Sick children in Edinburgh’. “He’s a top-quality player and someone I looked up to when I was at Celtic.

“His ability shows and what he has done in past years is unbelievable. If he can bring that to Hibs he’s going to help the team hugely.

“Personally, seeing him coming in is a boost. He is a top-quality signing and a top-quality player, who is going to help the team.

“It’s great for us to be able to play with someone I looked up to when I was at Celtic, when I saw how good he really is.

“It can only help us. We’ve already seen in training some of the things he can do and will do, and we can learn from it.

“He can definitely give us a wee edge. Even after the game he had a few words in the changing room at Morton and the stuff he was saying can be good for us.

“He has been there and done it in and been in these situations, and it can only help us.”

No-one will be expecting Commons, who has not played for Celtic all season following injury, to win games all by himself and, instead, it was his willingness to duck out of the limelight that helped Hibs secure Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Morton.

A notable dead-ball specialist himself, the Scotland cap stood aside to allow Jason Cummings to take a free-kick and the Easter Road side were rewarded when the top scorer curled in a stunning effort to net for the first time in three months.

In his desperation to prove his worth to Celtic, Commons would be forgiven for trying to hog the headlines in the short time he has with Hibs, but Keatings believes the reality will prove somewhat  different.

“He was always good with me,” he added when asked to appraise their time together at Celtic, when Keatings was a youth player and Commons was a firm fans’ favourite. “He was the same as Scott Brown, he always spoke to the young boys and tried to help them in training.

“He was never big-headed or anything like that, he was always level-headed and worked hard in the gym. He’s a good professional.

“He has come in and he doesn’t have a big ego or anything like that. He came in and got involved in the banter straight away with the boys on the bus going to the game and was speaking to everyone.

“He’s a level-headed boy and just like everyone else in the dressing room, really.”

Though Commons has spoken of his firm desire to break his way back into the Celtic first team, he has also confessed to having one eye on a move into coaching as he approaches the final few months of his Parkhead contract.

Keating is optimistic Hibs can convince Commons he can have a future at Easter Road if Rodgers does not want him at Parkhead.

“Hopefully he comes and has a successful period and enjoys it,” said Keatings, “and then hopefully he does want to stay.”