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'The probability of a seasonal revival is arguably a longer shot than that historic 5,000-1 title, which strangely puts the odds in our corner.' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his recent venture as manager of Newport County, and the immense task of averting a fall into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 gave him a great deal more than a champion's gong. {'It contributed to shifting my mindset a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unattainable can be achievable,' he remarks.

'How Did Fuchs End Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: what brought Fuchs find himself here? 'I guess that's the part that's unpredictable, right?' he says, letting out a laugh. This serves as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear indication of his playful character across a fascinating conversation. The discussion flows in multiple pathways, from being managed by the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the urgent quest to find a barber in the area.

He sorts through some mail on his desk. There is a letter from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, along with a couple of professional photographs from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, smiling. Another package brings a stash of old stickers, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. Things like this genuinely makes me very pleased,' he states.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Until returning from North Carolina to assume 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. That day a former full-back duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the lineup cards came out, an curious error came to light. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' smuggled itself 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 decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian arrived at the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach did the trick. {'When you see Claudio you envision an seasoned professional, so long in the business, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs says. {'He just said he was going to monitor 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 holds dear lessons learned from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always thought: ‘How can I get more out of the players? How can I challenge them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big 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 motivated, very anxious to prove himself.'

Origins and a Stubborn Nature

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 cannot do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my personality is: I’m pretty headstrong. If I see possibility, I’m making it happen.'

Detailed Approach and the Fight for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and formerly ran Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs fires up his laptop to show statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit many, many season peaks,' he explains, noting 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 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 probability to be successful than just hoofing it all the time.'

The broader numbers make grim reading. Newport have secured 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 last-gasp equaliser with 10 men secured a crucial point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not good enough, not even having a win. We need to build a impenetrable home.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs likes 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 thick of things. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he says, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the boxes – two megs already, get in! I want us to view each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re working on this as one.'