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'The probability of a seasonal revival is arguably a longer shot than that historic 5,000-1 title, which logically puts the odds in our corner.' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his new life as boss of Newport County, and the daunting task of staving off a fall into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 furnished him much more than a Premier League trophy. {'It contributed to shifting my outlook a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unattainable can be attainable,' he states.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The natural place to start is: how did Fuchs end up here? 'That's the element of the story that isn't straightforward, wouldn't you say?' he says, letting out a laugh. This serves as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear indication of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. Our talk flows in different directions, from playing for the current England boss and the former Leicester manager to the urgent quest to find a local barber.

He looks at some mail on his desk. Included is a message from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, paired with a couple of shiny pictures from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, smiling. Another package brings a stash of old collector's items, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. Things like this makes me very pleased,' he concludes.

A Prior Encounter and a Funny Mistake

Prior to returning from North Carolina to take on his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s most recent encounter to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester suffered a Newport giantkilling in the FA Cup third round. During that match the Newport kit man faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his life,' Fuchs recalls. But when the lineup cards were released, an amusing error emerged. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They misspelled my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is funny because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Insights from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian came to the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach did the trick. {'When you observe Claudio you picture an elder gentleman, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit old school, but he’s so not,' Fuchs states. {'He just said he was going to monitor 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 holds dear lessons learned from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always considered: ‘How can I get extra out of the players? How can I push them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our methodology as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very driven, very anxious to prove himself.'

Background and a Resolute Nature

Fuchs’s determination comes from his upbringing 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 capable enough,' he shares. {'There are people who let that overcome them or there are people who say: ‘Forget you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You can't do this, you can't do that.’ I’m going to demonstrate 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.'

Analytical Approach and the Battle 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 analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit many, many season highs,' he says, noting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he states. {'My first game, it was very direct, League Two football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher percentage to be successful than just launching it all the time.'

The broader numbers make bleak 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 93rd-minute equaliser with 10 men earned a crucial point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to construct a fortress.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own admission, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so bad 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 at heart,' he remarks, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the drills – two megs already, yes! I want us to see each other as a unified group. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re one team, we’re tackling this as one.'