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'The probability of a late surge is arguably more remote than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which logically puts the odds in our favor.' Christian Fuchs is talking about his new life as boss of Newport County, and the immense task of averting a fall into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the polar opposite of the spectrum of success, though that fairytale title win in 2016 furnished him much more than a Premier League trophy. {'It assisted in altering my mindset a little bit ... it showed that the unthinkable can be achievable,' he remarks.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: how did Fuchs end up here? 'That's the part of the story that isn't straightforward, wouldn't you say?' he comments, breaking into a laugh. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear sign of his charismatic character across a colourful conversation. The discussion runs in different directions, from being managed by the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the urgent quest to find a nearby hairdresser.

He looks at some mail on his desk. Included is a letter from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, accompanied by a couple of professional photographs from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, smiling. Another package brings a stash of old collector's items, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Things like this genuinely makes me very content,' he adds.

A Previous Visit and a Funny Mistake

Prior to returning from North Carolina to take on his first job in senior management 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. During that match a former full-back faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his life,' Fuchs admits. But when the teamsheets dropped, an amusing error emerged. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' crept in in place of the 'h'. It is funny because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something fitting.'

Experiences from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian arrived at the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach did the trick. {'When you look at Claudio you imagine an older man, so long in the business, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s so not,' 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 modify anything.''

Fuchs holds dear 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 test them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a significant part of our methodology as well. How can you make good thinkers on the pitch? Back then he was probably in a comparable position to where I am now … very driven, very keen to prove himself.'

Background and a Resolute Character

Fuchs’s drive stems from his early years 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 good enough,' he discloses. {'There are people who let that get the better of them or there are people who say: ‘Fuchs you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You can not do this, you can not do that.’ I’m going to demonstrate that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m pretty determined. If I see possibility, I’m doing it.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Struggle 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 statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit several season bests,' he points out, noting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not satisfied with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very direct, fourth-tier football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance 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 yet to win in eight in all competitions. By the time of their next home game, they will have not won a game 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 garnered a crucial point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs says. {'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 confession, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so wrong 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 in here,' he says, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the small-sided games – two megs already, yes! I want us to regard 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 together.'