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'The probability of a dramatic turnaround is arguably less likely than that legendary 5,000-1 title, which logically puts the odds in our corner.' Christian Fuchs is reflecting on 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. Here lies a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum of success, though that miraculous title win in 2016 provided him with much more than a Premier League trophy. {'It assisted in altering my mindset a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be attainable,' he states.

'How Did Fuchs Find Himself Here?'

The obvious place to start is: what brought Fuchs wind up here? 'That's the part of the story that defies logic, wouldn't you say?' he states, letting out a chuckle. It is the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear indication of his charismatic character across a fascinating conversation. Discourse flows in various tangents, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a barber in the area.

He sorts through some mail on his desk. There is a letter from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, along with a couple of professional photographs from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, smiling. Another envelope brings a collection of old Panini stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Items like this makes me very happy,' he states.

A Previous Visit and a Typographical Error

Until returning from North Carolina to accept his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester were on the end of a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion a former full-back faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs says. But when the lineup cards were released, an curious error emerged. {'You need to edit 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 pleasant.'

Experiences from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be brilliant. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian joined the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach did the trick. {'When you look at Claudio you imagine an older man, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s so not,' Fuchs states. {'He just said he was going to watch 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 observed you for a week and I’m not going to modify 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 additional out of the players? How can I test them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a significant part of our approach as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a similar situation to where I am now … very focused, very anxious to prove himself.'

Background and a Determined Character

Fuchs’s drive comes from his childhood 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 capable 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 can't do that.’ I’m going to demonstrate that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my character is: I’m quite headstrong. If I see promise, I’m making it happen.'

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 opens his laptop to show analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit many, many season bests,' he explains, noting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very physical, League Two football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to find its target than just hoofing it all the time.'

The broader numbers paint grim reading. Newport have won 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 garnered a valuable point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to create a impenetrable home.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He retired less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he states, pointing to his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the boxes – two megs already, brilliant! I want us to see each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re working on this as one.'