{Christian Fuchs: 'I'm Quite Headstrong. If I See Possibility, I'm Going for It'|Former Foxes Defender Christian Fuchs Speaks Candidly on League Two Mission

'The prospect of a seasonal revival is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which strangely puts the odds in our favour.' The Austrian veteran is discussing his fresh chapter as manager of the Football League's bottom club, and the monumental task of staving off a descent into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 furnished him much more than a champion's gong. {'It assisted in altering my outlook a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unattainable can be attainable,' he notes.

'How Did Fuchs Find Himself Here?'

The obvious place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs end up here? 'I imagine that's the part that's unpredictable, right?' he says, letting out a laugh. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear demonstration of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. Discourse travels in different directions, from playing for Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the immediate requirement to find a barber in the area.

He looks at some post on his desk. Among it is a note from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, along with a couple of glossy photos from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, grinning. Another envelope brings a hoard of old Panini stickers, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. Items like this makes me very happy,' he adds.

A Prior Encounter and a Misspelt Name

Prior to his move back 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 shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion the Newport kit man faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the match of his life,' Fuchs recalls. But when the official sheets came out, an interesting error was discovered. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs remarks. '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 pleasant.'

Lessons from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. 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 look at Claudio you envision an seasoned professional, so long in the business, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to monitor 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 alter anything.''

Fuchs cherishes lessons learned 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 major part of our approach as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a similar situation to where I am now … very driven, very eager to prove himself.'

Origins and a Determined Character

Fuchs’s drive originates in 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: ‘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 prove that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m pretty stubborn. If I see possibility, I’m making it happen.'

Analytical Approach and the Fight for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and had been in charge of Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs boots up his laptop to show analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit many, many season highs,' he explains, highlighting ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not pleased 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 paint bleak 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 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 garnered a precious point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to create a stronghold.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so wrong with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the middle of the action. {'I’m a member of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he remarks, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the small-sided games – two nutmegs already, get in! I want us to view each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re tackling this as one.'