{Christian Fuchs: 'I'm Quite Determined. Whenever I Notice Potential, I'm Making It Happen'|Ex-Leicester Star Christian Fuchs Speaks Candidly on Newport County Task

'The probability of a seasonal revival is arguably less likely than that historic 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our favour.' The Austrian veteran is talking about his recent venture as head coach of Newport County, and the daunting task of averting a fall into non-league football. It is a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that miraculous title win in 2016 gave him a great deal more than a champion's gong. {'It assisted in altering my perspective a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unthinkable can be possible,' he remarks.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: how did Fuchs end up here? 'That's the element of the story that seems counterintuitive, wouldn't you say?' he says, breaking into laughter. It is the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear indication of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. Our talk flows in different directions, from being managed by Thomas Tuchel 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 wishing him well, accompanied by a couple of glossy photos from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, with a smile. Another delivery brings a stash of old Panini stickers, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. 'Stuff like this genuinely makes me very pleased,' he adds.

A Past Trip and a Misspelt Name

Prior to returning from North Carolina to take on his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport giantkilling in the FA Cup third round. That day David Pipe faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs recalls. But when the teamsheets dropped, an interesting error was discovered. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They misspelled my name – somehow a 'k' smuggled itself 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 inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian arrived at the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach did the trick. {'When you see Claudio you envision an elder gentleman, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to watch 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 values lessons learned from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always thought: ‘How can I get more out of the players? How can I challenge them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a significant part of our approach 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 motivated, very keen to prove himself.'

Background and a Determined Mindset

Fuchs’s drive stems from his upbringing 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 good enough,' he reveals. {'There are people who let that overcome 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 very 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 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 used with his players. {'The team hit numerous season peaks,' he points out, highlighting 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 mid-90s,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very direct, fourth-tier 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 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 tasted victory at home for 273 days and have kept just two clean sheets in 26 matches this season. But a recent injury-time equaliser with 10 men garnered a crucial 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 impenetrable home.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He retired less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, likes being in the middle of the action. {'I’m a member of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he remarks, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the drills – two pannas already, yes! 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 striving towards this as one.'