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'I estimate that the odds of us reviving our campaign are lower than Leicester lifting the Premier League, so they are in our benefit, right?' Christian Fuchs is talking about his fresh chapter as head coach of the League Two strugglers, and the immense task of staving off a drop into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 provided him with far more than a champion's gong. {'It helped change my mindset a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unthinkable can be possible,' he remarks.

'How Did Fuchs Find Himself Here?'

The natural 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 says, letting out a chuckle. This serves as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear sign of his engaging character across a colourful conversation. Our talk runs in different directions, from playing for the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the immediate requirement to find a nearby hairdresser.

He opens some correspondence on his desk. There is a letter from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, along with a couple of shiny pictures from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, with a smile. Another package brings a collection of old collector's items, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. 'Stuff like this genuinely makes me very content,' he states.

A Previous Visit and a Misspelt Name

Until coming back from North Carolina to take on his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s previous visit to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. That day David Pipe duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the teamsheets dropped, an interesting error came to light. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They got wrong 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 fitting.'

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 an iconic story unfolded. The Italian arrived at the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach produced miracles. {'When you look at Claudio you envision an elder gentleman, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s the complete opposite,' 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 watched you for a week and I’m not going to alter anything.''

Fuchs cherishes insights gained from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always pondered: ‘How can I get additional out of the players? How can I test them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our approach as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very driven, very anxious to prove himself.'

Background and a Resolute Nature

Fuchs’s motivation comes 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 capable enough,' he shares. {'There are people who let that overcome them or there are people who say: ‘Forget you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You can't do this, you can't do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my personality is: I’m pretty headstrong. If I see potential, I’m doing it.'

Analytical 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 analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit numerous season bests,' he says, noting ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he states. {'My first game, it was very physical, League Two football, but we want to be unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher percentage to arrive than just launching it all the time.'

The broader numbers present 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 won a game 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 earned a precious point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs emphasizes. {'It’s just not good enough, not even having a win. We need to build a fortress.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own admission, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so wrong 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 component of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he says, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two pannas already, brilliant! I want us to see each other as a unified group. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re one team, we’re tackling this collectively.'