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'The probability of a seasonal revival is arguably more remote than that legendary 5,000-1 title, which logically puts the odds in our favor.' Christian Fuchs is discussing his new life as boss of Newport County, and the monumental task of preventing a drop into non-league football. It is a challenge at the polar opposite of the spectrum, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 furnished him much more than a winner's medal. {'It helped change my outlook a little bit ... it showed that the impossible can be possible,' he remarks.

The Illogical Path to Rodney Parade

The logical place to start is: what brought Fuchs wind up here? 'That's the aspect of the story that defies logic, wouldn't you say?' he comments, erupting in a laugh. This serves as the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear sign of his playful character across a colourful conversation. The discussion travels in different directions, from playing for the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a nearby hairdresser.

He looks at some mail on his desk. Included is a message from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, paired with a couple of glossy photos from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, grinning. Another delivery brings a hoard of old stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Things like this genuinely makes me very happy,' he adds.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Until coming back from North Carolina to accept his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester were on the end of a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. That day David Pipe competed with Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs recalls. But when the teamsheets were released, an curious error came to light. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs says with a smile. 'They misspelled my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is hilarious because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Lessons from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian arrived at the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach worked wonders. {'When you observe Claudio you picture an seasoned professional, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to observe training in Austria for the first week. He remained on the sidelines 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 holds dear lessons learned from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always thought: ‘How can I get more out of the players? How can I test them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a significant part of our approach as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a similar situation to where I am now … very focused, very eager to prove himself.'

Background and a Determined Character

Fuchs’s determination comes from his early years 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 reveals. {'There are people who let that overcome them or there are people who say: ‘Forget you, 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 prove that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my personality is: I’m quite headstrong. If I see promise, I’m making it happen.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Fight 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, displaying a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit numerous season bests,' he explains, noting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he states. {'My first game, it was very physical, lower-league football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher probability to find its target than just launching it all the time.'

The broader numbers make sobering reading. Newport have managed three of 19 league matches and are without a victory 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 garnered a valuable point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs emphasizes. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to build a impenetrable home.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own admission, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He ended his playing career less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the thick of things. {'I’m a member of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he remarks, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two pannas already, yes! 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 striving towards this as one.'