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'I estimate that the odds of us transforming our fortunes are less than Leicester claiming the Premier League, so they are in our favor, right?' The Austrian veteran is discussing his recent venture as boss of the League Two strugglers, and the daunting task of staving off a descent into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 gave him far more than a Premier League trophy. {'It contributed to shifting my perspective a little bit ... it showed that the unthinkable can be possible,' he remarks.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The obvious place to start is: what brought Fuchs wind up here? 'I guess that's the part that's illogical, right?' he comments, letting out a chuckle. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear demonstration of his playful character across a colourful conversation. Discourse flows in multiple pathways, from working under the current England boss and the former Leicester manager to the pressing need to find a barber in the area.

He looks at some mail on his desk. Included is a note from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, along with a couple of professional photographs from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, grinning. Another package brings a stash of old collector's items, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Things like this makes me very happy,' he adds.

A Prior Encounter and a Funny Mistake

Until returning from North Carolina to accept his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s previous visit 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 a former full-back competed with Fuchs. {'He had the game of his life,' Fuchs admits. But when the official sheets were released, an curious error was discovered. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is hilarious because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something fitting.'

Experiences from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian arrived at the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach worked wonders. {'When you observe Claudio you picture an older man, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit traditional, 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 watched you for a week and I’m not going to modify anything.''

Fuchs cherishes experiences from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always considered: ‘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 similar situation to where I am now … very focused, very anxious to prove himself.'

Origins and a Determined Nature

Fuchs’s motivation comes from his childhood 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 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 cannot do this, you can not do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m very determined. If I see promise, I’m making it happen.'

Analytical 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 opens his laptop to show statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit several season peaks,' he explains, noting ball progression and statistics about penetrating 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 physical, fourth-tier football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher percentage to find its target than just launching it all the time.'

The overarching numbers paint bleak reading. Newport have secured 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 last-gasp equaliser with 10 men secured a valuable point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to construct a impenetrable home.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own admission, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he says, pointing to his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the boxes – two megs already, yes! I want us to see each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re striving towards this collectively.'