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'I would say that the chances of us transforming our fortunes are lower than Leicester lifting the Premier League, so they are in our favor, right?' Christian Fuchs is discussing his recent venture as head coach of Newport County, and the immense task of averting a descent into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that miraculous title win in 2016 provided him with far more than a winner's medal. {'It assisted in altering my perspective a little bit ... it proved that the unattainable can be possible,' he remarks.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The logical place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs find himself here? 'I suppose that's the part that's not logical, right?' he states, erupting in a chuckle. This serves as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear indication of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. The discussion travels in different directions, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the pressing need to find a nearby hairdresser.

He sorts through some mail on his desk. There is a letter from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, accompanied by a couple of shiny pictures from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, grinning. Another envelope brings a hoard of old stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Items like this makes me very pleased,' he states.

A Past Trip and a Funny Mistake

Prior to coming back from North Carolina to accept his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s previous visit to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester suffered a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. That day the Newport kit man duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his life,' Fuchs says. But when the lineup cards came out, an curious error came to light. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs says with a smile. 'They got wrong 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.'

Lessons from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved brilliant. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian arrived at the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach produced miracles. {'When you see Claudio you picture an elder gentleman, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit old school, but he’s so not,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to observe 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 studied you for a week and I’m not going to change anything.''

Fuchs cherishes insights gained from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always pondered: ‘How can I get more out of the players? How can I push them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a significant part of our approach as well. How can you make good thinkers on the pitch? Back then he was probably in a similar situation to where I am now … very driven, very keen to prove himself.'

Roots and a Determined Nature

Fuchs’s determination originates in his childhood in Neunkirchen. {'There are comparisons to where we are now, because I was told when I was 11 years old that I would never be good enough,' he reveals. {'There are people who let that defeat them or there are people who say: ‘Watch me, 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 give absolutely everything. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m quite headstrong. If I see possibility, I’m making it happen.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and previously led Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs fires up his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit numerous season peaks,' he points out, highlighting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not satisfied with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he states. {'My first game, it was very direct, League Two football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher probability to be successful than just launching it all the time.'

The overarching numbers make sobering 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 last-gasp equaliser with 10 men secured a crucial point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to build a fortress.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own confession, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He retired less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, likes being in the middle of the action. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he remarks, pointing to his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two megs already, get in! 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 collectively.'