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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 corner.' Christian Fuchs is discussing his recent venture as manager of the Football League's bottom club, and the monumental task of staving off a fall into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 gave him a great deal more than a winner's medal. {'It assisted in altering my mindset a little bit ... it demonstrated that the impossible can be attainable,' he notes.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs end up here? 'That's the aspect of the story that defies logic, wouldn't you say?' he comments, breaking into a laugh. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear demonstration of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. Discourse flows in different directions, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the immediate requirement to find a local barber.

He opens some mail on his desk. Included is a letter from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, accompanied by a couple of shiny pictures from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, smiling. Another package brings a hoard of old collector's items, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. 'Stuff like this genuinely makes me very pleased,' he adds.

A Previous Visit and a Funny Mistake

Until his move back from North Carolina to take on his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s previous visit to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. During that match the Newport kit man faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs says. But when the lineup cards dropped, an curious error emerged. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They misspelt 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 nice.'

Experiences from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. 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 picture an older man, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s so not,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to observe 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 observed you for a week and I’m not going to modify anything.''

Fuchs holds dear experiences 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 push them mentally?’’ 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 comparable position to where I am now … very motivated, very eager to prove himself.'

Background and a Determined Mindset

Fuchs’s determination comes from his early years 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 good 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 cannot do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my character is: I’m very stubborn. If I see possibility, I’m making it happen.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and previously led Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs fires up his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit several season peaks,' he points out, emphasizing 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 states. {'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 find its target than just launching it all the time.'

The general numbers paint sobering reading. Newport have secured 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 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 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 construct a stronghold.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own admission, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, likes being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a member of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he remarks, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two pannas already, brilliant! I want us to regard each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re tackling this as one.'