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'The probability of a late surge is arguably less likely than that historic 5,000-1 title, which strangely puts the odds in our favor.' The Austrian veteran is discussing his new life as manager of Newport County, and the daunting task of averting a descent into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 provided him with a great deal more than a Premier League trophy. {'It assisted in altering my mindset a little bit ... it showed that the unthinkable can be attainable,' he notes.

The Illogical Path to Rodney Parade

The obvious place to start is: how did Fuchs end up here? 'I imagine that's the part that's not logical, right?' he comments, breaking into a chuckle. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear sign of his charismatic character across a wide-ranging conversation. The discussion runs in multiple pathways, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the immediate requirement to find a nearby hairdresser.

He looks at some correspondence on his desk. Among it is a letter from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, along with a couple of professional photographs from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, with a smile. Another envelope brings a stash of old Panini stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. 'Stuff like this really makes me very pleased,' he adds.

A Prior Encounter and a Typographical Error

Prior to 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 were on the end of a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. During that match the Newport kit man faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the lineup cards came out, an curious error emerged. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They misspelt my name – somehow a 'k' crept in in place of the 'h'. It is funny because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something nice.'

Insights from The Tinkerman, 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 the rest is history. The Italian arrived at the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach did the trick. {'When you see Claudio you imagine an elder gentleman, so long in the business, maybe a bit old school, 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 studied 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 additional out of the players? How can I push them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our approach as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very focused, very eager to prove himself.'

Roots and a Resolute Nature

Fuchs’s determination stems from his childhood 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 shares. {'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 can't do this, you can not do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my personality is: I’m quite stubborn. If I see possibility, I’m doing it.'

Detailed Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and had been in charge of Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs fires up his laptop to show statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit many, many season peaks,' he explains, highlighting ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not happy 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 chance to find its target than just going long all the time.'

The broader numbers make sobering 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 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 garnered a precious point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to construct a impenetrable home.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own admission, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, likes being in the thick of things. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he says, pointing to his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the small-sided games – two pannas already, yes! I want us to regard each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re working on this collectively.'