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'The prospect of a dramatic turnaround is arguably a longer shot than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our favor.' Christian Fuchs is discussing his recent venture as head coach of the League Two strugglers, and the monumental task of staving off a descent into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the polar opposite of the spectrum of success, though that fairytale title win in 2016 provided him with far more than a winner's medal. {'It assisted in altering my outlook a little bit ... it proved that the impossible can be attainable,' he states.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The obvious place to start is: what brought Fuchs end up here? 'I suppose that's the part that's unpredictable, right?' he comments, erupting in laughter. It is the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear sign of his charismatic character across a fascinating conversation. Our talk travels in different directions, from playing for the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a barber in the area.

He looks at some correspondence on his desk. Included is a message from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, accompanied by a couple of shiny pictures from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, with a smile. Another envelope brings a collection of old Panini stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club is displayed prominently. Things like this really makes me very happy,' he concludes.

A Prior Encounter and a Typographical Error

Prior to his move back from North Carolina to accept his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. That day a former full-back competed with Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs recalls. But when the official sheets came out, an interesting error emerged. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs says with a smile. 'They misspelled my name – somehow a 'k' crept in in place of the 'h'. It is hilarious because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something nice.'

Insights from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian arrived at the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach worked wonders. {'When you see Claudio you imagine an seasoned professional, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs says. {'He just said he was going to monitor training in Austria for the first week. He stayed out of it 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 alter anything.''

Fuchs values lessons learned from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always thought: ‘How can I get additional out of the players? How can I push them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our approach as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a comparable position to where I am now … very driven, very eager to prove himself.'

Roots and a Stubborn Nature

Fuchs’s drive stems from 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 discloses. {'There are people who let that get the better of them or there are people who say: ‘Watch me, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You can not do this, you can not do that.’ I’m going to demonstrate that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m very headstrong. If I see possibility, I’m doing it.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Battle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and had been in charge of Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs boots up his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit many, many season peaks,' he explains, noting ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, fourth-tier football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to be successful than just hoofing it all the time.'

The broader numbers make bleak reading. Newport have managed three of 19 league matches and are yet to win in eight in all competitions. By the time of their next home game, they will have not tasted victory 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 secured a valuable point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not good enough, not even having a win. We need to build a impenetrable home.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the thick of things. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he remarks, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two nutmegs already, get in! I want us to view each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re working on this together.'