{Christian Fuchs: 'I'm Quite Determined. Whenever I Notice Possibility, I'm Going for It'|Ex-Leicester Star Christian Fuchs Speaks Candidly on Newport County Mission

'The prospect of a dramatic turnaround is arguably a longer shot than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our corner.' Christian Fuchs is reflecting on his recent venture as manager of the Football League's bottom club, and the daunting task of staving off a descent into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum, though that fairytale title win in 2016 provided him with far more than a winner's medal. {'It helped change my perspective a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be attainable,' he notes.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The natural place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs find himself here? 'I guess that's the part that's unpredictable, right?' he says, erupting in laughter. It is the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear demonstration of his playful character across a wide-ranging conversation. The discussion travels in different directions, from being managed by Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the urgent quest to find a nearby hairdresser.

He looks at some mail on his desk. Among it is a letter from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, accompanied by a couple of shiny pictures from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, grinning. Another delivery brings a collection of old Panini stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. 'Stuff like this makes me very happy,' he adds.

A Prior Encounter and a Typographical Error

Prior to returning 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 suffered a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion a former full-back duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his life,' Fuchs says. But when the lineup cards were released, an amusing error emerged. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They misspelt my name – somehow a 'k' smuggled itself in in place of the 'h'. It is amusing because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Experiences from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be brilliant. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian arrived at the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach did the trick. {'When you observe Claudio you envision an seasoned professional, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs states. {'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 observed you for a week and I’m not going to alter anything.''

Fuchs values experiences 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 major part of our approach as well. How can you make good thinkers on the pitch? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very driven, very anxious to prove himself.'

Roots and a Stubborn Nature

Fuchs’s determination stems from his early years 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 skilled enough,' he shares. {'There are people who let that defeat them or there are people who say: ‘Forget you, I’m going to show you.’ I’ve been told too many times: ‘You cannot do this, you can not do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m pretty stubborn. If I see possibility, I’m doing it.'

Analytical Approach and the Battle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and formerly ran Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs boots up his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit several season bests,' he points out, noting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was shown as 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, fourth-tier football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to be successful than just hoofing it all the time.'

The general numbers make grim reading. Newport have secured three of 19 league matches and are without a victory 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 93rd-minute equaliser with 10 men garnered a crucial point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to construct a impenetrable home.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, likes being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a member of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he states, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the boxes – two megs 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 tackling this together.'