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'The probability of a seasonal revival is arguably a longer shot than that legendary 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our favour.' Christian Fuchs is talking about his fresh chapter as head coach of the Football League's bottom club, and the immense task of averting a drop into non-league football. It is a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum of success, though that fairytale title win in 2016 gave him much more than a champion's gong. {'It contributed to shifting my outlook a little bit ... it proved that the unattainable can be achievable,' he notes.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The obvious 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 chuckle. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear indication of his playful character across a colourful conversation. Our talk flows in multiple pathways, from working under Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a local barber.

He opens some post on his desk. Included is a note from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, accompanied by a couple of glossy photos from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, with a smile. Another delivery brings a hoard of old Panini stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. 'Stuff like this makes me very pleased,' he concludes.

A Past Trip and a Funny Mistake

Until coming back from North Carolina to accept his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s previous visit 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 faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs says. But when the official sheets came out, an curious error came to light. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' smuggled itself in in place of the 'h'. It is hilarious because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Experiences from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian came to the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach worked wonders. {'When you see Claudio you imagine an elder gentleman, so long in the business, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs says. {'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 observed you for a week and I’m not going to alter anything.''

Fuchs holds dear experiences from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always pondered: ‘How can I get additional out of the players? How can I push them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our philosophy as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a comparable position to where I am now … very focused, very anxious to prove himself.'

Background and a Determined Nature

Fuchs’s drive comes 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 skilled enough,' he discloses. {'There are people who let that overcome them or there are people who say: ‘Fuchs you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You cannot do this, you cannot do that.’ I’m going to demonstrate that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m very headstrong. If I see promise, I’m making it happen.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Struggle 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 statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit numerous season peaks,' he explains, highlighting 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 states. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, League Two football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to find its target than just hoofing it all the time.'

The broader numbers present grim reading. Newport have won three of 19 league matches and are yet to win 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 injury-time equaliser with 10 men garnered a crucial point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to construct a impenetrable home.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He retired less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the thick of things. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he states, tapping 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 one team, we’re striving towards this collectively.'