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'I estimate that the likelihood of us transforming our fortunes are slimmer than Leicester winning the Premier League, so they are in our benefit, right?' Christian Fuchs is reflecting on his new life as head coach of Newport County, and the monumental task of preventing a drop into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum, though that miraculous title win in 2016 provided him with much more than a champion's gong. {'It contributed to shifting my outlook a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be achievable,' he states.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The logical place to start is: what brought Fuchs end up here? 'That's the element of the story that isn't straightforward, wouldn't you say?' he states, erupting in laughter. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear sign of his playful character across a fascinating conversation. Discourse runs in multiple pathways, from being managed by Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the immediate requirement to find a local barber.

He looks at some correspondence on his desk. Among it is a note from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, paired with a couple of shiny pictures from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, with a smile. Another envelope brings a stash of old collector's items, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. 'Stuff like this really makes me very happy,' he concludes.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Prior to his move back 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 suffered a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. During that match David Pipe duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his life,' Fuchs recalls. But when the teamsheets came out, an curious error came to light. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They misspelled my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is amusing because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Insights from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian came to the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach produced miracles. {'When you observe Claudio you envision an older man, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs states. {'He just said he was going to monitor training in Austria for the first week. He remained on the sidelines 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 values experiences from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always pondered: ‘How can I get more out of the players? How can I push them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major 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.'

Origins and a Stubborn Character

Fuchs’s drive comes from his childhood 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 skilled enough,' he shares. {'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 cannot do this, you can not do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my personality is: I’m pretty headstrong. If I see potential, I’m doing it.'

Analytical 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 data from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit several season highs,' he says, highlighting 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 physical, League Two football, but we want to be unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher probability to be successful than just hoofing it all the time.'

The general numbers paint sobering reading. Newport have won three of 19 league matches and are winless 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 93rd-minute equaliser with 10 men garnered a precious point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs emphasizes. {'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 confession, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so bad 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 states, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the small-sided games – two pannas already, get in! I want us to see each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re one team, we’re tackling this as one.'