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'The prospect of a dramatic turnaround is arguably more remote than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which strangely puts the odds in our corner.' Christian Fuchs is talking about his new life as head coach of Newport County, and the monumental task of averting a fall into non-league football. It is a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 provided him with much more than a champion's gong. {'It contributed to shifting my mindset a little bit ... it demonstrated that the impossible can be possible,' he notes.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: what brought Fuchs end up here? 'That's the part of the story that defies logic, wouldn't you say?' he states, breaking into a chuckle. It is the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear indication of his playful character across a fascinating conversation. The discussion flows in multiple pathways, from being managed by Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a local barber.

He looks at some post on his desk. Among it is a note from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, along with a couple of shiny pictures from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, smiling. Another envelope brings a hoard of old Panini stickers, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. 'Stuff like this genuinely makes me very happy,' he states.

A Past Trip and a Funny Mistake

Until his move back from North Carolina to take on his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. That day a former full-back duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his life,' Fuchs admits. But when the teamsheets were released, an amusing error came to light. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They misspelt 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 nice.'

Lessons from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian came to the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach produced miracles. {'When you observe Claudio you envision an elder gentleman, so long in the business, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s the complete opposite,' 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 studied you for a week and I’m not going to change anything.''

Fuchs holds dear insights gained 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 test them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our methodology as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very driven, very eager to prove himself.'

Roots and a Determined Nature

Fuchs’s determination stems from his childhood 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 good enough,' he discloses. {'There are people who let that defeat 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 cannot do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my character is: I’m quite headstrong. If I see possibility, I’m doing it.'

Analytical 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 statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit numerous season peaks,' he explains, emphasizing 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 mid-90s,' he insists. {'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 percentage to be successful than just hoofing 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 won a game at home for 273 days and have kept just two clean sheets in 26 matches this season. But a recent 93rd-minute equaliser with 10 men garnered a valuable 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.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the middle of the action. {'I’m a member of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he remarks, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the small-sided games – two nutmegs already, yes! I want us to view each other as a unified group. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re tackling this together.'