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'The prospect of a dramatic turnaround is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which strangely puts the odds in our corner.' Christian Fuchs is talking about his new life as manager of Newport County, and the daunting task of staving off a drop into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the polar opposite of the spectrum of success, though that fairytale title win in 2016 furnished him much more than a winner's medal. {'It contributed to shifting my outlook a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be attainable,' he remarks.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: what brought Fuchs wind up here? 'I guess that's the part that's illogical, right?' he says, letting out laughter. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear indication of his charismatic character across a fascinating conversation. The discussion flows in different directions, from working under Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the pressing need to find a barber in the area.

He sorts through some correspondence on his desk. Among it is a note from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, along with a couple of professional photographs from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, with a smile. Another envelope brings a stash of old Panini stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Items like this really makes me very happy,' he concludes.

A Previous Visit and a Misspelt Name

Until his move back 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 endured a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion David Pipe faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the teamsheets were released, an curious error emerged. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They misspelled my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is hilarious because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Lessons from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian came to the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach worked wonders. {'When you observe Claudio you imagine an elder gentleman, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit old school, but he’s the complete opposite,' 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 studied 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 test them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our philosophy as well. How can you make good thinkers on the pitch? Back then he was probably in a comparable position to where I am now … very motivated, very keen to prove himself.'

Roots and a Stubborn Nature

Fuchs’s motivation stems from his upbringing 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 reveals. {'There are people who let that overcome 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 show that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my personality is: I’m very determined. If I see promise, I’m making it happen.'

Detailed 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 analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit numerous season peaks,' he says, highlighting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not satisfied with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he insists. {'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 probability to be successful than just hoofing it all the time.'

The broader numbers make sobering reading. Newport have managed 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 tasted victory 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 garnered a valuable point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to construct a impenetrable home.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the thick of things. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he remarks, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the drills – two nutmegs already, yes! I want us to see each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re working on this as one.'