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'The probability of a dramatic turnaround is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which strangely puts the odds in our favour.' Christian Fuchs is talking about his recent venture as boss of the League Two strugglers, and the daunting task of staving off a descent into non-league football. It is a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum of success, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 furnished him far more than a champion's gong. {'It assisted in altering my mindset a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be possible,' he states.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The natural place to start is: what brought Fuchs find himself here? 'I guess that's the part that's not logical, right?' he states, erupting in a laugh. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear demonstration of his playful character across a wide-ranging conversation. The discussion travels in multiple pathways, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the pressing need to find a local barber.

He opens some post on his desk. There is a note from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, paired with a couple of professional photographs from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, grinning. Another envelope brings a hoard of old collector's items, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. 'Stuff like this really makes me very pleased,' he states.

A Past Trip and a Misspelt Name

Prior to coming back from North Carolina to assume his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s most recent encounter to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport giantkilling in the FA Cup third round. That day David Pipe faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs says. But when the teamsheets dropped, an curious error came to light. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They misspelt 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.'

Experiences from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian arrived at the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach did the trick. {'When you observe Claudio you picture an older man, so long in the business, maybe a bit old school, but he’s the complete opposite,' 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 watched you for a week and I’m not going to change anything.''

Fuchs values insights gained 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 test them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our approach as well. How can you make good thinkers on the pitch? Back then he was probably in a comparable position to where I am now … very driven, very eager to prove himself.'

Roots and a Determined Mindset

Fuchs’s motivation originates in 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 capable enough,' he discloses. {'There are people who let that get the better of them or there are people who say: ‘Forget you, 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 show that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my personality is: I’m quite determined. If I see potential, I’m making it happen.'

Analytical Approach and the Fight for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and formerly ran Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs opens his laptop to show analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit many, many season bests,' he explains, highlighting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not satisfied 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 unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to be successful than just going long all the time.'

The broader numbers paint grim reading. Newport have managed 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 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 garnered a valuable point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to build a stronghold.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own confession, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He retired 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 says, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the small-sided games – two pannas already, yes! I want us to regard each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re striving towards this collectively.'