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'The probability of a seasonal revival is arguably more remote than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our favor.' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his fresh chapter as head coach of the League Two strugglers, and the monumental task of staving off a descent into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the polar opposite of the spectrum of success, though that fairytale title win in 2016 provided him with much more than a champion's gong. {'It assisted in altering my mindset a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unthinkable can be achievable,' he notes.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs wind up here? 'I guess that's the part that's illogical, right?' he comments, letting out a laugh. It is the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear demonstration of his playful character across a fascinating conversation. Discourse runs in multiple pathways, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need 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, along with a couple of glossy photos from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, with a smile. Another envelope brings a collection of old collector's items, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. Things like this makes me very content,' he states.

A Prior Encounter and a Misspelt Name

Until his move back from North Carolina to assume his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester were on the end of a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. During that match the Newport kit man faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the lineup cards dropped, an curious error emerged. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' crept in in place of the 'h'. It is amusing because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something nice.'

Insights from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian arrived at the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach did the trick. {'When you look at Claudio you picture an elder gentleman, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit old school, but he’s so not,' Fuchs says. {'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 change anything.''

Fuchs cherishes lessons learned from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always thought: ‘How can I get extra out of the players? How can I push 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 similar situation to where I am now … very focused, very keen to prove himself.'

Roots and a Determined Character

Fuchs’s determination 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 good enough,' he reveals. {'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 not do this, you cannot do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my character is: I’m pretty stubborn. If I see possibility, I’m going for it.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and previously led Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs boots 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 says, noting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very direct, lower-league football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher percentage to find its target than just hoofing it all the time.'

The general numbers present grim reading. Newport have managed 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 injury-time equaliser with 10 men earned a valuable point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to build a impenetrable home.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He retired less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he states, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the boxes – two pannas already, yes! I want us to see each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re striving towards this together.'