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'The prospect of a late surge is arguably less likely than that historic 5,000-1 title, which strangely puts the odds in our corner.' Christian Fuchs is reflecting on his fresh chapter as head coach of the Football League's bottom club, and the immense task of preventing a descent into non-league football. It is a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 provided him with a great deal more than a winner's medal. {'It assisted in altering my outlook a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unattainable can be attainable,' he remarks.

'How Did Fuchs End Up Here?'

The obvious place to start is: what brought Fuchs find himself here? 'I suppose that's the part that's not logical, right?' he comments, breaking into laughter. It is the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear sign of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. The discussion flows in various tangents, from working under Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the immediate requirement to find a barber in the area.

He sorts through some correspondence on his desk. Included is a note from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, along with a couple of glossy photos from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, grinning. Another envelope brings a collection of old Panini stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Items like this genuinely makes me very pleased,' he concludes.

A Previous Visit and a Misspelt Name

Until returning from North Carolina to accept his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s previous visit to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester were on the end of a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. That day David Pipe faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the teamsheets were released, an curious error emerged. {'You need to censor 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 nice.'

Insights from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice 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 light-touch approach did the trick. {'When you observe Claudio you envision an older man, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs says. {'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 alter anything.''

Fuchs values 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 philosophy as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a comparable position to where I am now … very motivated, very eager to prove himself.'

Origins and a Determined Mindset

Fuchs’s motivation stems from his childhood 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 skilled enough,' he discloses. {'There are people who let that defeat 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 demonstrate that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m pretty stubborn. If I see promise, 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 boots up his laptop to show statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit several season highs,' he explains, emphasizing ball progression and statistics about penetrating 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 unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher probability to arrive than just going long all the time.'

The overarching numbers paint bleak reading. Newport have managed 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 secured a precious point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to create 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 thick of things. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he states, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the small-sided games – two pannas already, get in! I want us to see each other as a unified group. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re tackling this collectively.'