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'The probability of a late surge is arguably a longer shot than that legendary 5,000-1 title, which strangely puts the odds in our corner.' Christian Fuchs is talking about his new life as head coach of the Football League's bottom club, and the immense task of staving off a drop into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 provided him with a great deal more than a winner's medal. {'It helped change my perspective a little bit ... it demonstrated that the impossible can be attainable,' he remarks.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The logical place to start is: what brought Fuchs find himself here? 'That's the element of the story that defies logic, wouldn't you say?' he states, breaking into a chuckle. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear sign of his engaging character across a fascinating conversation. Our talk flows in different directions, from working under the current England boss and the former Leicester manager to the immediate requirement to find a barber in the area.

He looks at some correspondence on his desk. Among it is a note from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, paired with a couple of glossy photos from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, smiling. Another package brings a collection of old Panini stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. 'Stuff like this really makes me very content,' he states.

A Previous Visit and a Funny Mistake

Until returning from North Carolina to take on his first job in first-team coaching 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. On that occasion the Newport kit man faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his life,' Fuchs recalls. But when the lineup cards were released, an curious error was discovered. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is amusing because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Insights from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian joined 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 set in his ways, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs states. {'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 studied you for a week and I’m not going to modify anything.''

Fuchs cherishes insights gained 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 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 analogous place to where I am now … very motivated, very eager to prove himself.'

Origins and a Stubborn Character

Fuchs’s motivation stems from his upbringing 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 good 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 can't do this, you can not do that.’ I’m going to demonstrate that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m very stubborn. If I see possibility, I’m going for it.'

Detailed 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 presented to his players. {'The team hit numerous season peaks,' he points out, emphasizing ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not satisfied with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, League Two football, but we want to be unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to find its target than just hoofing it all the time.'

The overarching numbers make bleak reading. Newport have won 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 tasted victory 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 earned a crucial point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to build a stronghold.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He retired less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, likes being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he says, pointing to his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two pannas already, get in! I want us to regard each other as a unified group. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re working on this as one.'