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'I estimate that the chances of us reviving our campaign are slimmer than Leicester claiming the Premier League, so they are in our favour, right?' The Austrian veteran is discussing his fresh chapter as boss 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, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 gave him much more than a Premier League trophy. {'It helped change my outlook a little bit ... it showed that the unattainable can be attainable,' he states.

The Illogical Path to Rodney Parade

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 laughter. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear demonstration of his charismatic character across a colourful conversation. Discourse runs in different directions, from playing for the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the immediate requirement to find a local barber.

He sorts through some post on his desk. There is a note from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, paired with a couple of shiny pictures from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, smiling. Another package brings a stash of old stickers, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club is displayed prominently. Things like this really makes me very content,' he concludes.

A Prior Encounter and a Misspelt Name

Prior to coming back from North Carolina to accept his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s previous visit to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. During that match a former full-back faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the lineup cards dropped, an curious error emerged. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is hilarious because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Experiences from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian came to the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach worked wonders. {'When you see Claudio you imagine an seasoned professional, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs says. {'He just said he was going to observe training in Austria for the first week. He stayed out of it at all. After that week we had a meeting and he said: 'I’ve observed you for a week and I’m not going to modify anything.''

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

Background and a Resolute Character

Fuchs’s drive comes from his childhood in Neunkirchen. {'There are parallels to where we are now, because I was told when I was 11 years old that I would never be skilled enough,' he discloses. {'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 cannot do this, you cannot do that.’ I’m going to demonstrate that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my personality is: I’m pretty determined. If I see possibility, I’m making it happen.'

Detailed Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and formerly ran Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs boots up his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit many, many season highs,' he explains, noting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not satisfied with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he states. {'My first game, it was very physical, lower-league football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to find its target than just going long all the time.'

The general numbers make bleak 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 secured a crucial point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to create a fortress.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs likes a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the middle of the action. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he states, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the drills – two megs already, get in! I want us to view each other as a unified group. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re one team, we’re striving towards this collectively.'