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'The prospect of a seasonal revival is arguably more remote than that historic 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our corner.' Christian Fuchs is talking about his new life as manager of Newport County, and the monumental task of preventing a fall into non-league football. It is a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 provided him with far more than a Premier League trophy. {'It assisted in altering my mindset a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be possible,' he remarks.

'How Did Fuchs Find Himself Here?'

The obvious place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs wind up here? 'That's the part of the story that seems counterintuitive, wouldn't you say?' he states, erupting in a laugh. It is the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear sign of his playful character across a colourful conversation. The discussion runs in multiple pathways, from working under the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a local barber.

He opens some post on his desk. There is a letter from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, paired with a couple of professional photographs from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, grinning. Another package brings a hoard of old collector's items, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. Items like this genuinely makes me very pleased,' he states.

A Prior Encounter and a Misspelt Name

Prior to returning from North Carolina to assume his first job in frontline management 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. That day David Pipe competed with Fuchs. {'He had the match of his life,' Fuchs says. But when the official sheets were released, an interesting 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.'

Experiences from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved brilliant. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian arrived at the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach worked wonders. {'When you observe Claudio you envision an elder gentleman, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit old school, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs states. {'He just said he was going to observe 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 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 additional out of the players? How can I push them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a significant part of our philosophy as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very motivated, very keen to prove himself.'

Background and a Resolute Mindset

Fuchs’s drive comes from his upbringing 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 discloses. {'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 not do this, you can not do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my personality is: I’m quite headstrong. If I see potential, I’m making it happen.'

Detailed Approach and the Battle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and had been in charge of Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs opens his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit many, many season highs,' he points out, noting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not satisfied 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 chance to arrive than just hoofing it all the time.'

The general numbers present bleak 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 secured three points 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 precious point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not good enough, not even having a win. We need to build a stronghold.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own admission, Fuchs likes a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He retired less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the thick of things. {'I’m a member of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he states, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the drills – two megs already, yes! I want us to see each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re working on this together.'