John Giles' approach to Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp has softened as the season has progressed.
Labeling him both an "idiot" and "clown" as recently as January, Giles is now of the opinion that this Liverpool side can go on an win the Champions League on May 26 - not that he is overly convinced they will:
Can Liverpool win the Champions League?
Of course they can but I’d hate to have to stake my life on Jurgen Klopp lifting the trophy in Kiev at the end of the month – even if they were 3-0 up with ten minutes to go in the final.
Writing in the Herald, the former Leeds United man remains mildly perturbed by just how much Klopp has extracted from a relatively limited squad of players.
Retaining his belief that the German is a "one trick pony with a very good trick," Giles' description of what Klopp has by way of players leaves much to be desired:
He has no goalkeeper, he has one decent centre-back, one good full-back, the magnificent James Milner in midfield and three dynamic strikers who strike terror into opposing backlines when they are running freely.
As it has been for the duration of Klopp's spell at Liverpool, Giles' primary concern centres on their apparent inability to defend.
Having progressed to the final at the expense of Roma on an exhilarating 7-6 aggregate scoreline, Giles believes Klopp has all the proof he needs that dissenters like Giles need not be entertained:
All of that said, if I sat down with Klopp and attempted to put the case for filling the gaps I feel are glaring, he would probably look at me and have a good laugh.
In what promises to be as exciting a Champions League final as we have witnessed in recent years, even John Giles appears content to simply embrace Klopp's Liverpool for what they are.
