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'The probability of a dramatic turnaround is arguably less likely than that legendary 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our favor.' The Austrian veteran is discussing his fresh chapter as manager of Newport County, and the immense task of staving off a descent into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 gave him much more than a champion's gong. {'It helped change my perspective a little bit ... it demonstrated that the impossible can be attainable,' he notes.

'How Did Fuchs Find Himself Here?'

The obvious place to start is: what brought Fuchs end up here? 'I imagine that's the part that's not logical, right?' he comments, erupting in laughter. It is the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear demonstration of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. Discourse travels in different directions, from playing for the current England boss and the former Leicester manager to the immediate requirement to find a local barber.

He looks at some post on his desk. Included is a message from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, paired with a couple of professional photographs from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, smiling. Another package brings a hoard of old collector's items, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Items like this really makes me very happy,' he concludes.

A Prior Encounter and a Misspelt Name

Until coming back from North Carolina to assume his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s previous visit to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester suffered a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion the Newport kit man competed with Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs recalls. But when the official sheets dropped, an curious error came to light. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They misspelled my name – somehow a 'k' crept in in place of the 'h'. It is funny because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Insights from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian arrived at the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach worked wonders. {'When you see Claudio you picture an elder gentleman, 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 watch 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 holds dear insights gained from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always considered: ‘How can I get additional out of the players? How can I challenge them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our philosophy 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 keen to prove himself.'

Roots and a Determined Mindset

Fuchs’s determination stems from his early years in Neunkirchen. {'There are parallels to where we are now, because I was told when I was 11 years old that I would never be skilled enough,' he discloses. {'There are people who let that get the better of them or there are people who say: ‘Fuchs you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You can not do this, you can't do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my personality is: I’m very determined. If I see potential, I’m going for it.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Fight 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 used with his players. {'The team hit several season highs,' he points out, noting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very physical, fourth-tier football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher percentage to be successful than just launching it all the time.'

The general numbers paint grim reading. Newport have secured 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 93rd-minute equaliser with 10 men secured a precious point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs emphasizes. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to construct a fortress.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He ended his playing career less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the middle of the action. {'I’m a member of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he remarks, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the drills – two nutmegs already, yes! I want us to see 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.'