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'The probability of a seasonal revival is arguably a longer shot than that historic 5,000-1 title, which logically puts the odds in our favor.' Christian Fuchs is reflecting on his fresh chapter as manager of Newport County, and the monumental task of staving off a drop into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum of success, though that fairytale title win in 2016 provided him with far more than a winner's medal. {'It helped change my perspective a little bit ... it showed that the impossible can be achievable,' he remarks.

The Unlikely Path to Rodney Parade

The logical place to start is: what brought Fuchs find himself here? 'That's the part of the story that seems counterintuitive, wouldn't you say?' he says, breaking into laughter. This serves as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear indication of his playful character across a wide-ranging conversation. Discourse flows in various tangents, from playing for the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the immediate requirement to find a local barber.

He opens some post on his desk. There is a note from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, along with a couple of shiny pictures from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, with a smile. Another envelope brings a stash 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. Items like this makes me very content,' he concludes.

A Previous Visit and a Misspelt Name

Until his move back from North Carolina to take on his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s previous visit to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport giantkilling in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion David Pipe faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs says. But when the lineup cards came out, an amusing error came to light. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They misspelled my name – somehow a 'k' crept 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 decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be brilliant. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian joined the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach worked wonders. {'When you see Claudio you imagine an seasoned professional, so long in the business, maybe a bit old school, but he’s so not,' Fuchs says. {'He just said he was going to observe 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 studied you for a week and I’m not going to change anything.''

Fuchs cherishes insights gained from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always considered: ‘How can I get more out of the players? How can I challenge them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major 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 anxious to prove himself.'

Roots and a Resolute Nature

Fuchs’s drive comes from his early years 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 capable enough,' he shares. {'There are people who let that get the better of them or there are people who say: ‘Forget you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You can not do this, you can't do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my personality is: I’m quite determined. If I see possibility, I’m going for it.'

Data-Driven 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 opens his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit many, many season peaks,' he says, emphasizing ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not satisfied with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very physical, fourth-tier football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher probability to be successful than just going long all the time.'

The general numbers paint sobering 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 93rd-minute equaliser with 10 men garnered a valuable point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs says. {'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 wrong with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he remarks, indicating 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 one team, we’re working on this together.'