The least popular man in Nottingham?

Let's get this straight; I like(d) Kris Commons. I thought he was the best player on the park when Stoke came to visit four years ago, I know that he was capable of doing great things in a Red shirt, and I also like the fact that he was one of many Forest fans in the squad.

Throughout the whole "will-he, won't he?" speculation, I have actually been pretty confident he would stay; not just because he is (was) a Red, but also because when he signed a one-year deal last year, he suggested that he wanted to see if we would get promoted (with the implication being that he would stay if we did - not that I have any quotations to back that up with at the moment).

From a rational point of view, you cannot argue with his choice if he does go to Derby; they are reportedly offering £9ooo a week(!), they are only 15 miles down the road so he wouldn't need to move house, and he does have a young family to support. Also, he left Stoke to join Forest, and Stoke are now joining the Premier League, whereas Kris has spent the last three seasons in Division One.

However, football is not a rational game. Many fans on the messageboards have reminded us of Stuart Pearce saying that he would rather sign on than sign for Derby - and he wasn't even brought up as a Forest fan. One could argue that he is leaving a team of winners to go and join a bunch of losers (the worst team in history at that level, by a country mile).

If I had to describe Kris in one word, it would be "mercurial"; he is clearly talented, but just is not consistent. Also, he is not likely to play a full season. So in that sense, maybe it is not such a big loss. Also, as CC seems to want to continue playing 4-3-3, it does suggest that Kris would still be playing out of position (although he was brilliant on the left wing, in a 4-3-3, on the last day of the season).

Perhaps more interesting is the fact that Kris had clearly already made up his mind that he was leaving, regardless of promotion. Sometimes you see emotional farewells from players who announce they are leaving before their last match (Des Walker going to Sampdoria springs to mind) - not for Kris, which suggests that maybe he is not as much of a Red that he makes out, and/or that he will sign for the Sheep.

A couple of other interesting points: have you seen the picture (above) that the Forest official web team chose to use to announce his departure? Hmmm... Also, a thread on 606 was suggesting songs to sing at him if he turns up in a Derby shirt (assuming that he isn't "injured") - my personal favourite is Trumpton Red's:

Baa baa fat sheep Have you any shame Gone to Derby Cos you couldn't get a game