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'The probability of a dramatic turnaround is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which strangely puts the odds in our favor.' The Austrian veteran is discussing his fresh chapter as manager of Newport County, and the monumental task of staving off a descent into non-league football. It is a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 gave him a great deal more than a winner's medal. {'It helped change my mindset a little bit ... it demonstrated that the impossible can be possible,' he notes.

The Illogical Path to Rodney Parade

The natural place to start is: how did Fuchs wind up here? 'That's the element of the story that seems counterintuitive, wouldn't you say?' he states, letting out a chuckle. It is the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear sign of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. The discussion runs in various tangents, from working under the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the immediate requirement to find a barber in the area.

He opens some post on his desk. There is a letter from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, paired with a couple of glossy photos from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, smiling. Another delivery brings a collection of old collector's items, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Things like this really makes me very happy,' he adds.

A Previous Visit and a Funny Mistake

Until coming back from North Carolina to take on his first job in senior 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. During that match a former full-back faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the match of his life,' Fuchs says. But when the official sheets were released, an amusing error came to light. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs says with a smile. '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.'

Insights from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian joined the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach produced miracles. {'When you look at Claudio you envision an elder gentleman, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit old school, but he’s so not,' Fuchs explains. {'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 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 extra out of the players? How can I push them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our philosophy 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 keen to prove himself.'

Origins and a Determined Mindset

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 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 not do this, you can't do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my character is: I’m pretty stubborn. If I see potential, I’m making it happen.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Battle 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 statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit many, many season bests,' he explains, noting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, lower-league football, but we want to be unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to be successful than just hoofing it all the time.'

The broader numbers paint sobering 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 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 precious point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to construct a impenetrable home.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own confession, Fuchs likes a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He retired 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, pointing to his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two nutmegs already, brilliant! I want us to regard each other as a unified group. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re one team, we’re working on this as one.'