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'I estimate that the likelihood of us reviving our campaign are lower than Leicester lifting the Premier League, so they are in our benefit, right?' The Austrian veteran is talking about his fresh chapter as boss of the Football League's bottom club, and the daunting task of staving off a fall into non-league football. It is a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum of success, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 provided him with far more than a champion's gong. {'It helped change my perspective a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be attainable,' he states.

'How Did Fuchs End Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: how did Fuchs end up here? 'That's the aspect of the story that isn't straightforward, wouldn't you say?' he says, breaking into a chuckle. This serves as the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear sign of his playful character across a wide-ranging conversation. Discourse flows in multiple pathways, from playing for the current England boss and the former Leicester manager to the immediate requirement to find a local barber.

He looks at some mail on his desk. Among it is a message from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, paired with a couple of shiny pictures from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, grinning. Another package brings a stash of old stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Items like this makes me very happy,' he states.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Until his move back from North Carolina to assume his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester suffered a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion a former full-back duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his career,' Fuchs says. But when the official sheets were released, an curious error came to light. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They got wrong 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.'

Lessons from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved brilliant. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian came to the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach did the trick. {'When you observe Claudio you imagine an elder gentleman, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s anything but,' 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 studied you for a week and I’m not going to modify anything.''

Fuchs holds dear experiences 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 test them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our methodology 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 motivated, very eager to prove himself.'

Roots and a Resolute Character

Fuchs’s drive originates in his early years 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 capable enough,' he shares. {'There are people who let that overcome them or there are people who say: ‘Fuchs you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You can not do this, you cannot do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my personality is: I’m pretty determined. If I see potential, I’m going for it.'

Detailed Approach and the Battle 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 presented to his players. {'The team hit numerous season highs,' he points out, noting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, lower-league football, but we want to be unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher percentage to be successful than just going long all the time.'

The broader numbers paint bleak reading. Newport have secured 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 earned a precious point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not good enough, not even having a win. We need to create a stronghold.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own confession, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He retired less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the middle of the action. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he remarks, pointing to his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the drills – two nutmegs already, brilliant! I want us to see each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re working on this together.'