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'The probability of a late surge is arguably a longer shot than that historic 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our corner.' The Austrian veteran is discussing his fresh chapter as manager of the League Two strugglers, and the monumental task of preventing a drop into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum of success, though that fairytale title win in 2016 furnished him far more than a champion's gong. {'It helped change my mindset a little bit ... it proved that the impossible can be possible,' he notes.

'How Did Fuchs Find Himself Here?'

The logical place to start is: how did Fuchs wind up here? 'That's the element of the story that isn't straightforward, wouldn't you say?' he comments, erupting in a laugh. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear demonstration of his playful character across a colourful conversation. The discussion flows in various tangents, from working under the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a local barber.

He sorts through some mail on his desk. There is a letter from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, accompanied by a couple of glossy photos from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, with a smile. Another delivery brings a stash of old stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club is displayed prominently. Things like this genuinely makes me very pleased,' he adds.

A Previous Visit and a Typographical Error

Prior to coming back from North Carolina to accept his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. That day a former full-back duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs says. But when the teamsheets came out, an curious error came to light. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They got wrong 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 fitting.'

Experiences from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian came to the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach produced miracles. {'When you see Claudio you envision an elder gentleman, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s the complete opposite,' 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 additional out of the players? How can I push them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a significant part of our approach 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 keen to prove himself.'

Roots and a Resolute Mindset

Fuchs’s drive originates in his upbringing 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 capable enough,' he reveals. {'There are people who let that get the better of them or there are people who say: ‘Fuchs you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You cannot do this, you can't do that.’ I’m going to demonstrate that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my character is: I’m very stubborn. If I see potential, I’m going for it.'

Detailed Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and previously led Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs boots up his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit numerous season bests,' he explains, noting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very direct, League Two football, but we want to be distinct. 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 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 won a game 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 secured a crucial point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not good enough, not even having a win. We need to build a fortress.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own confession, Fuchs likes a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the thick of things. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he says, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the boxes – two nutmegs already, yes! I want us to view each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re tackling this together.'