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'The probability of a dramatic turnaround is arguably a longer shot than that historic 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our favour.' Christian Fuchs is talking about his fresh chapter as manager of Newport County, and the daunting task of preventing 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 a great deal more than a champion's gong. {'It contributed to shifting my perspective a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unattainable can be attainable,' he states.

The Illogical Path to Rodney Parade

The obvious place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs find himself here? 'I imagine that's the part that's not logical, right?' he states, letting out laughter. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear sign of his playful character across a colourful conversation. Our talk flows in multiple pathways, from playing for the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a local barber.

He opens some mail on his desk. Included is a message from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, paired with a couple of glossy photos from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, with a smile. Another envelope brings a stash of old collector's items, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. 'Stuff like this really makes me very happy,' he adds.

A Previous Visit and a Typographical Error

Until his move back from North Carolina to take on his first job in first-team coaching 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 David Pipe duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his life,' Fuchs says. But when the teamsheets came out, an amusing error was discovered. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs remarks. '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 Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was brilliant. 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 observational approach did the trick. {'When you look at Claudio you imagine an older man, so long in the business, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs states. {'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 studied you for a week and I’m not going to modify 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 extra out of the players? How can I challenge them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our approach as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very motivated, very anxious to prove himself.'

Origins and a Determined Nature

Fuchs’s drive stems from his early years 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 capable enough,' he shares. {'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't do this, you cannot do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my character is: I’m pretty stubborn. If I see promise, I’m making it happen.'

Detailed Approach and the Struggle 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 statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit many, many season highs,' he explains, noting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, League Two football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to arrive than just launching it all the time.'

The overarching numbers make sobering 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 secured three points 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 force at home,' Fuchs emphasizes. {'It’s just not good enough, not even having a win. We need to construct a impenetrable home.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own confession, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, likes being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he states, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the drills – two pannas already, get in! I want us to regard each other as a unified group. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re working on this collectively.'