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'The prospect of a dramatic turnaround is arguably a longer shot than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which logically puts the odds in our favour.' Christian Fuchs is discussing his new life as manager of the League Two strugglers, and the immense task of staving off a descent into non-league football. It is a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that miraculous title win in 2016 gave him far more than a champion's gong. {'It assisted in altering my outlook a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unattainable can be possible,' he states.

'How Did Fuchs End Up Here?'

The natural place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs wind up here? 'I suppose that's the part that's illogical, right?' he says, erupting in a chuckle. This serves as the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear indication of his engaging character across a fascinating conversation. Our talk travels in multiple pathways, from playing for the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the immediate requirement to find a local barber.

He opens some correspondence on his desk. There is a letter from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, paired with a couple of glossy photos from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, grinning. Another package brings a stash of old Panini stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. 'Stuff like this makes me very content,' he states.

A Prior Encounter and a Funny Mistake

Prior to returning from North Carolina to take on his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s previous visit to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. That day the Newport kit man faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the teamsheets dropped, an interesting error was discovered. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is funny because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something nice.'

Insights from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian joined the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach worked wonders. {'When you see Claudio you envision an seasoned professional, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to observe training in Austria for the first week. He didn’t get involved at all. After that week we had a meeting and he said: 'I’ve observed you for a week and I’m not going to modify anything.''

Fuchs cherishes experiences from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always thought: ‘How can I get more out of the players? How can I test them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our philosophy as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very motivated, very eager to prove himself.'

Origins and a Resolute Mindset

Fuchs’s determination originates in his upbringing in Neunkirchen. {'There are similarities to where we are now, because I was told when I was 11 years old that I would never be good enough,' he shares. {'There are people who let that overcome them or there are people who say: ‘Forget you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You cannot do this, you can not do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m quite headstrong. If I see potential, I’m doing it.'

Analytical Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and formerly ran Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs fires up his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit several season bests,' he says, noting ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he states. {'My first game, it was very direct, lower-league football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher probability to find its target than just hoofing it all the time.'

The broader numbers present sobering reading. Newport have won three of 19 league matches and are winless in eight in all competitions. By the time of their next home game, they will have not won a game at home for 273 days and have kept just two clean sheets in 26 matches this season. But a recent last-gasp equaliser with 10 men earned a crucial point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs emphasizes. {'It’s just not good enough, not even having a win. We need to create a stronghold.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he states, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the small-sided games – two megs already, yes! I want us to see each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re one team, we’re working on this together.'