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'The prospect of a dramatic turnaround is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our corner.' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his new life as boss of the League Two strugglers, and the immense task of preventing a descent into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 provided him with much more than a champion's gong. {'It contributed to shifting my mindset a little bit ... it demonstrated that the impossible can be possible,' he remarks.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs wind up here? 'I suppose that's the part that's not logical, right?' he states, breaking into a chuckle. This serves as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear demonstration of his engaging character across a colourful conversation. Discourse flows in different directions, from playing for the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the urgent quest to find a barber in the area.

He opens some correspondence on his desk. Among it is a message from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, paired with a couple of professional photographs from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, smiling. Another delivery brings a hoard of old collector's items, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. Things like this makes me very happy,' he concludes.

A Prior Encounter and a Typographical Error

Prior to his move back from North Carolina to accept his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester suffered a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. That day the Newport kit man competed with Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs recalls. But when the lineup cards were released, an interesting error was discovered. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs says with a smile. 'They misspelt my name – somehow a 'k' smuggled itself in in place of the 'h'. It is amusing because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Lessons from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian joined the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach produced miracles. {'When you see Claudio you picture an older man, so long in the business, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s so not,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to watch 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 studied you for a week and I’m not going to alter anything.''

Fuchs cherishes lessons learned 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 mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our approach as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a comparable position to where I am now … very motivated, very keen to prove himself.'

Background and a Determined Mindset

Fuchs’s drive originates in his upbringing 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 discloses. {'There are people who let that get the better of them or there are people who say: ‘Watch me, 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 demonstrate that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m quite determined. If I see potential, I’m going for it.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Battle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and had been in charge of Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs fires up his laptop to show statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit several season bests,' he explains, highlighting 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 90-95% range,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, League Two football, but we want to be unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher percentage to arrive than just going long all the time.'

The general numbers make bleak reading. Newport have secured 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 tasted victory 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 acceptable, not even having a win. We need to construct a fortress.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so negative 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 part of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he remarks, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the small-sided games – two nutmegs already, brilliant! I want us to see each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re one team, we’re striving towards this collectively.'