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'The probability of a seasonal revival is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our favour.' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his fresh chapter as manager of the League Two strugglers, and the monumental task of preventing a descent into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the polar opposite of the spectrum of success, though that miraculous title win in 2016 gave him far more than a champion's gong. {'It helped change my mindset a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be possible,' he notes.

The Unlikely Path to Rodney Parade

The logical place to start is: how did Fuchs end up here? 'That's the aspect of the story that seems counterintuitive, wouldn't you say?' he states, breaking into a chuckle. It is the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear sign of his playful character across a wide-ranging conversation. Our talk runs in multiple pathways, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the immediate requirement to find a barber in the area.

He opens some correspondence on his desk. There is a letter from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, paired with a couple of glossy photos from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, with a smile. Another delivery brings a stash of old Panini stickers, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Things like this genuinely makes me very pleased,' he states.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Until returning from North Carolina to accept his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s most recent encounter to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport giantkilling in the FA Cup third round. That day David Pipe competed with Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the teamsheets came out, an amusing error came to light. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They misspelt my name – somehow a 'k' smuggled itself in in place of the 'h'. It is hilarious because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Lessons from Ranieri, 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 came to the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach produced miracles. {'When you look at Claudio you envision an older man, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s so not,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to watch 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 change anything.''

Fuchs values insights gained 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 challenge them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our philosophy as well. How can you make good thinkers on the pitch? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very motivated, very anxious to prove himself.'

Background and a Resolute Mindset

Fuchs’s determination originates in 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 skilled enough,' he reveals. {'There are people who let that defeat 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 not do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m pretty stubborn. If I see promise, I’m going for it.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Fight for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and previously led Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs fires up his laptop to show analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit many, many season bests,' he points out, emphasizing ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, League Two football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to be successful than just hoofing it all the time.'

The overarching numbers make grim reading. Newport have won 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 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 garnered a crucial point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to create a fortress.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own confession, Fuchs likes a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he says, pointing to his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the drills – two megs already, get in! I want us to see each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re striving towards this together.'