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'I estimate that the odds of us turning the season around are slimmer than Leicester winning the Premier League, so they are in our favour, right?' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his new life as boss of the Football League's bottom club, and the daunting task of averting a descent into non-league football. It is a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 gave him much more than a champion's gong. {'It contributed to shifting my perspective a little bit ... it demonstrated that the impossible can be possible,' he remarks.

The Unlikely Path to Rodney Parade

The obvious place to start is: how did Fuchs wind up here? 'I suppose that's the part that's not logical, right?' he states, letting out a chuckle. It is the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear demonstration of his engaging character across a colourful conversation. Discourse flows in different directions, from being managed by Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the urgent quest to find a local barber.

He opens some post on his desk. Included is a message from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, accompanied by a couple of shiny pictures from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, with a smile. Another package brings a stash of old collector's items, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Items like this genuinely makes me very content,' he adds.

A Prior Encounter and a Funny Mistake

Until returning from North Carolina to assume his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s most recent encounter to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester were on the end of a Newport giantkilling in the FA Cup third round. That day David Pipe competed with Fuchs. {'He had the game of his life,' Fuchs says. But when the teamsheets were released, an amusing error came to light. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs says with a smile. '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 fitting.'

Experiences from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian joined the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach produced miracles. {'When you see Claudio you envision an older man, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to watch 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 observed you for a week and I’m not going to modify anything.''

Fuchs values lessons learned from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always thought: ‘How can I get extra out of the players? How can I challenge them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our approach 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 focused, very keen to prove himself.'

Origins and a Determined Character

Fuchs’s determination stems 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 skilled enough,' he reveals. {'There are people who let that overcome them or there are people who say: ‘Watch me, 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 show that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m pretty stubborn. If I see potential, I’m going for it.'

Analytical Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and previously led Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs opens his laptop to show analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit several season bests,' he says, noting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he states. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, fourth-tier football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to be successful than just hoofing it all the time.'

The broader numbers present bleak reading. Newport have managed three of 19 league matches and are without a victory 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 garnered a valuable point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs emphasizes. {'It’s just not good enough, not even having a win. We need to construct a stronghold.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, likes being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a member of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he remarks, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two nutmegs already, brilliant! I want us to see each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re striving towards this as one.'