🔗 Share this article

'The probability of a seasonal revival is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which strangely puts the odds in our corner.' Christian Fuchs is talking about his fresh chapter as head coach of the League Two strugglers, and the monumental task of preventing a descent into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 gave him much more than a Premier League trophy. {'It contributed to shifting my mindset a little bit ... it demonstrated that the unattainable can be possible,' he remarks.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The natural place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs end up here? 'That's the part of the story that defies logic, wouldn't you say?' he states, erupting in a chuckle. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear sign of his engaging character across a colourful conversation. Discourse runs in different directions, from working under 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 sending best wishes, paired with a couple of professional photographs from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, grinning. Another delivery brings a hoard of old stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Things like this really makes me very pleased,' he concludes.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Until coming back from North Carolina to take on his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s most recent encounter to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester were on the end of a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. That day a former full-back competed with Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs recalls. But when the teamsheets were released, an interesting error emerged. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They misspelled my name – somehow a 'k' smuggled itself in in place of the 'h'. It is hilarious because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something pleasant.'

Lessons from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian arrived at the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach produced miracles. {'When you see 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 values lessons learned from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always considered: ‘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 philosophy as well. How can you make good decision-makers? 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 Character

Fuchs’s determination 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 skilled enough,' he reveals. {'There are people who let that get the better of 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 cannot do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my character is: I’m quite determined. If I see potential, I’m going for it.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Battle 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, presenting a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit several season highs,' he points out, highlighting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not satisfied with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, lower-league football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher probability to be successful than just going long all the time.'

The overarching numbers paint grim reading. Newport have managed 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 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 precious point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to construct a fortress.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own confession, 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 part of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he says, pointing to his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the drills – two megs already, brilliant! I want us to regard each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re tackling this collectively.'