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'I reckon that the odds of us transforming our fortunes are lower than Leicester lifting the Premier League, so they are in our benefit, right?' The Austrian veteran is talking about his recent venture as boss of Newport County, and the daunting task of preventing a drop into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the polar opposite of the spectrum, though that miraculous title win in 2016 gave him much more than a Premier League trophy. {'It assisted in altering my perspective a little bit ... it proved that the unattainable can be achievable,' he notes.

'How Did Fuchs Find Himself Here?'

The logical place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs end up here? 'I guess that's the part that's illogical, right?' he says, letting out laughter. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear demonstration of his engaging character across a fascinating conversation. Our talk runs in multiple pathways, from working under Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the pressing need to find a barber in the area.

He looks at some correspondence on his desk. Included is a message from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, along with a couple of professional photographs from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, grinning. Another envelope brings a collection of old Panini stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. 'Stuff like this genuinely makes me very content,' he concludes.

A Past Trip and a Misspelt Name

Until coming back from North Carolina to accept his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s previous visit to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. During that match the Newport kit man faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the lineup cards dropped, an curious error emerged. {'You need to edit 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 funny because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something fitting.'

Lessons from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed 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 light-touch approach did the trick. {'When you observe Claudio you picture an elder gentleman, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit old school, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs says. {'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 studied you for a week and I’m not going to modify anything.''

Fuchs holds dear 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 push them mentally?’’ 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 anxious to prove himself.'

Origins and a Resolute Mindset

Fuchs’s drive originates in 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 shares. {'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 can't do this, you cannot do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my character is: I’m very determined. If I see possibility, I’m going for it.'

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 opens his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit several season highs,' he explains, highlighting ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he insists. {'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 probability to find its target than just launching it all the time.'

The broader numbers present 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 won a game 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 earned 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 fortress.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own admission, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He ended his playing career less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he says, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two nutmegs already, yes! I want us to regard each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re working on this as one.'