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'The probability of a late surge is arguably a longer shot than that historic 5,000-1 title, which logically puts the odds in our favour.' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his recent venture as boss of Newport County, and the immense task of averting a fall into non-league football. It is a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum, though that miraculous title win in 2016 furnished him far more than a winner's medal. {'It helped change my mindset a little bit ... it showed that the unattainable can be attainable,' he states.

'How Did Fuchs Find Himself Here?'

The obvious place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs end up here? 'I guess that's the part that's illogical, right?' he states, letting out laughter. This serves as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear demonstration of his charismatic character across a fascinating conversation. Discourse travels in different directions, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a nearby hairdresser.

He sorts through some post on his desk. Included is a letter from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, accompanied by a couple of professional photographs from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, smiling. Another delivery brings a collection of old stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. 'Stuff like this genuinely makes me very happy,' he states.

A Previous Visit and a Misspelt Name

Prior to returning from North Carolina to assume his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s most recent encounter to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion David Pipe duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the match of his life,' Fuchs admits. But when the official sheets came out, an curious error emerged. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They got wrong 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 pleasant.'

Insights from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian joined the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach produced miracles. {'When you look at Claudio you imagine an older man, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s so not,' Fuchs states. {'He just said he was going to monitor 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 watched you for a week and I’m not going to modify 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 psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a significant part of our methodology as well. How can you make good thinkers on the pitch? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very focused, very eager to prove himself.'

Background and a Determined Mindset

Fuchs’s determination comes from his childhood 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 good enough,' he shares. {'There are people who let that get the better of them or there are people who say: ‘Fuchs you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You can't 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 pretty stubborn. If I see possibility, I’m doing it.'

Analytical Approach and the Battle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and formerly ran Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs boots up his laptop to show statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit several season highs,' he says, 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 long-ball, lower-league football, but we want to be unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to arrive than just launching it all the time.'

The general numbers make sobering reading. Newport have secured 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 injury-time equaliser with 10 men secured a crucial point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to build a impenetrable home.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own admission, Fuchs likes 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 says, pointing to his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two pannas already, brilliant! I want us to see each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re tackling this together.'