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'The probability of a late surge is arguably less likely than that legendary 5,000-1 title, which logically puts the odds in our corner.' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his fresh chapter as manager of the Football League's bottom club, and the daunting task of averting a descent into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the polar opposite of the spectrum, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 furnished him much more than a champion's gong. {'It assisted in altering my mindset a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be attainable,' he notes.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The natural place to start is: how did Fuchs wind up here? 'That's the part of the story that seems counterintuitive, wouldn't you say?' he states, erupting in a chuckle. This serves as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear sign of his engaging character across a colourful conversation. Discourse flows in different directions, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the urgent quest to find a nearby hairdresser.

He sorts through some mail on his desk. Included is a message from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, along with a couple of glossy photos from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, grinning. Another delivery brings a collection of old collector's items, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club is displayed prominently. 'Stuff like this makes me very pleased,' he states.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Until his move back from North Carolina to accept his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s most recent encounter to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester were on the end of a Newport giantkilling in the FA Cup third round. During that match a former full-back duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs recalls. But when the official sheets came out, an amusing error emerged. {'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 amusing because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Insights from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian came to the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach did the trick. {'When you look at Claudio you picture an elder gentleman, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit old school, but he’s so not,' 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 values lessons learned from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always considered: ‘How can I get extra out of the players? How can I test them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our methodology 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 motivated, very anxious to prove himself.'

Background and a Determined Character

Fuchs’s motivation comes from his childhood 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 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 can't do that.’ I’m going to demonstrate that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my character is: I’m very determined. If I see potential, I’m doing it.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Battle 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, sharing a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit several season bests,' he points out, 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 declares. {'My first game, it was very direct, fourth-tier football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher percentage to find its target than just going long all the time.'

The broader 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 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 emphasizes. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to build a fortress.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He hung up his boots 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 at heart,' he states, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two megs already, get in! 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.'