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'I estimate that the chances of us transforming our fortunes are less than Leicester winning the Premier League, so they are in our favor, right?' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his new life as manager of the League Two strugglers, and the daunting task of preventing a descent into non-league football. It is a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that miraculous title win in 2016 provided him with much more than a winner's medal. {'It helped change my mindset a little bit ... it showed that the unattainable can be attainable,' he remarks.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The obvious place to start is: how did Fuchs find himself here? 'I imagine that's the part that's illogical, right?' he states, erupting in a chuckle. It is the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear sign of his playful character across a fascinating conversation. Discourse runs in multiple pathways, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the immediate requirement to find a nearby hairdresser.

He sorts through some correspondence on his desk. Among it is a letter from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, paired with a couple of professional photographs from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, smiling. Another envelope brings a hoard of old stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club is displayed prominently. Things like this genuinely makes me very happy,' he concludes.

A Past Trip and a Misspelt Name

Prior to returning from North Carolina to take on 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 competed with Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his career,' Fuchs says. But when the official sheets dropped, an amusing error was discovered. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs says with a smile. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is amusing because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something fitting.'

Lessons from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian joined the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach worked wonders. {'When you observe Claudio you imagine an elder gentleman, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s the complete opposite,' 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 studied you for a week and I’m not going to alter anything.''

Fuchs values insights gained from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always thought: ‘How can I get additional out of the players? How can I challenge them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a significant part of our philosophy as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a comparable position to where I am now … very driven, very keen to prove himself.'

Origins and a Stubborn Character

Fuchs’s determination 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 discloses. {'There are people who let that defeat them or there are people who say: ‘Watch me, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You can't do this, you cannot do that.’ I’m going to demonstrate that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m quite headstrong. If I see potential, I’m doing it.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and previously led Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs fires up his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit several season bests,' he explains, highlighting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very physical, League Two football, but we want to be unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher probability to arrive than just hoofing it all the time.'

The overarching numbers make grim reading. Newport have managed three of 19 league matches and are yet to win 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 precious point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to build 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, enjoys being in the middle of the action. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he remarks, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the boxes – 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 a collective, we’re striving towards this as one.'