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'The probability of a dramatic turnaround is arguably a longer shot than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which logically puts the odds in our favour.' The Austrian veteran is discussing his fresh chapter as boss of the League Two strugglers, and the immense task of averting a descent into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the polar opposite of the spectrum of success, though that miraculous title win in 2016 provided him with much more than a winner's medal. {'It contributed to shifting my perspective a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be possible,' he notes.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The logical place to start is: how did Fuchs wind up here? 'I suppose that's the part that's unpredictable, right?' he says, erupting in a laugh. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear sign of his engaging character across a colourful conversation. The discussion flows in multiple pathways, from being managed by the current England boss and the former Leicester manager to the pressing need to find a nearby hairdresser.

He opens some correspondence on his desk. There is a note from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, accompanied by a couple of professional photographs from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, with a smile. Another package 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 given special attention. 'Stuff like this really makes me very content,' he concludes.

A Previous Visit and a Misspelt Name

Prior to his move back 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 endured a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion the Newport kit man competed with Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the teamsheets dropped, an curious error came to light. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' crept in in place of the 'h'. It is amusing because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something nice.'

Insights from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved brilliant. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian came to the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach worked wonders. {'When you see Claudio you envision an elder gentleman, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to monitor training in Austria for the first week. He remained on the sidelines 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 alter anything.''

Fuchs cherishes experiences from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always considered: ‘How can I get extra out of the players? How can I challenge them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our philosophy as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very focused, very anxious to prove himself.'

Roots and a Resolute Mindset

Fuchs’s drive originates in his childhood in Neunkirchen. {'There are parallels to where we are now, because I was told when I was 11 years old that I would never be good enough,' he discloses. {'There are people who let that get the better of 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 prove that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my personality is: I’m quite stubborn. If I see potential, I’m making it happen.'

Analytical Approach and the Battle 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 used with his players. {'The team hit numerous season peaks,' he points out, emphasizing ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very direct, fourth-tier football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher percentage to arrive than just going long all the time.'

The broader numbers present 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 tasted victory 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 precious point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs emphasizes. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to build a impenetrable home.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs likes a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He retired less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the thick of things. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he states, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the drills – two pannas already, brilliant! I want us to view each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re tackling this collectively.'