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

'The prospect of a dramatic turnaround is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our favor.' The Austrian veteran is discussing his recent venture as head coach of Newport County, and the daunting task of averting 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 furnished him a great deal more than a winner's medal. {'It assisted in altering my outlook a little bit ... it showed that the impossible can be possible,' he states.

'How Did Fuchs Wind Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs end up here? 'That's the element of the story that seems counterintuitive, wouldn't you say?' he comments, letting out a chuckle. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear demonstration of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. The discussion runs in multiple pathways, from working under Thomas Tuchel and the former Leicester manager to the urgent quest to find a barber in the area.

He looks at some mail on his desk. There is a message from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, paired with a couple of glossy photos from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, smiling. Another envelope brings a hoard of old collector's items, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. 'Stuff like this makes me very happy,' he concludes.

A Previous Visit and a Misspelt Name

Until his move back from North Carolina to take on his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester were on the end of a Newport giantkilling in the FA Cup third round. During that match David Pipe faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs says. But when the lineup cards dropped, an interesting error came to light. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs says with a smile. 'They misspelt my name – somehow a 'k' crept in in place of the 'h'. It is amusing because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something nice.'

Lessons from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was brilliant. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in 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 light-touch approach worked wonders. {'When you look at Claudio you picture an older man, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit old school, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs states. {'He just said he was going to monitor training in Austria for the first week. He stayed out of it 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 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 extra out of the players? How can I challenge them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a significant part of our methodology as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very focused, very keen to prove himself.'

Origins and a Resolute Nature

Fuchs’s determination originates in 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 good enough,' he reveals. {'There are people who let that overcome them or there are people who say: ‘Fuchs you, 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 headstrong. If I see possibility, I’m making it happen.'

Detailed Approach and the Struggle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and had been in charge of Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs opens his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit numerous season highs,' he explains, highlighting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very physical, fourth-tier football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to arrive than just hoofing it all the time.'

The general numbers make grim reading. Newport have secured three of 19 league matches and are winless 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 injury-time equaliser with 10 men garnered a precious point. {'We need to be a dominant side at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to construct a stronghold.'

One of the Lads 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, likes being in the middle of the action. {'I’m a component of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he remarks, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the small-sided games – two megs already, get in! I want us to view each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re striving towards this collectively.'