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'The probability of a dramatic turnaround is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which logically puts the odds in our corner.' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his new life as head coach of Newport County, and the immense task of averting a descent into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 gave him much more than a champion's gong. {'It helped change my outlook a little bit ... it showed that the unthinkable can be achievable,' he notes.

The Illogical Path to Rodney Parade

The obvious place to start is: how did Fuchs wind up here? 'That's the aspect of the story that isn't straightforward, wouldn't you say?' he says, breaking into a chuckle. It is the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear sign of his playful character across a fascinating conversation. The discussion travels in multiple pathways, from working under the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a nearby hairdresser.

He opens some mail on his desk. Included is a letter from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, along with a couple of professional photographs from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, grinning. Another envelope brings a hoard of old Panini stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. Things like this really makes me very pleased,' he concludes.

A Prior Encounter and a Funny Mistake

Until coming back from North Carolina to assume his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester were on the end of a Newport giantkilling in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion a former full-back competed with Fuchs. {'He had the match of his life,' Fuchs admits. But when the lineup cards were released, an amusing error emerged. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs remarks. '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 Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was brilliant. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian arrived at the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach produced miracles. {'When you see Claudio you imagine an older man, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs states. {'He just said he was going to monitor training in Austria for the first week. He didn’t get involved 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 change anything.''

Fuchs values 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 test them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our approach 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 focused, very eager to prove himself.'

Background and a Resolute Character

Fuchs’s motivation comes from his upbringing 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 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't do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m quite stubborn. If I see promise, I’m going for it.'

Analytical Approach and the Fight 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 analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit many, many season peaks,' he points out, emphasizing ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very direct, League Two football, but we want to be different. 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 bleak reading. Newport have won 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 earned a crucial point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs emphasizes. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to construct a stronghold.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own confession, Fuchs likes a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He ended his playing career 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 inside,' he remarks, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the drills – 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 all in this together, we’re working on this together.'