🔗 Share this article

'The probability of a late surge is arguably less likely than that fabled 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our corner.' The Austrian veteran is discussing his new life as boss of Newport County, and the daunting task of staving off a drop into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum of success, though that miraculous title win in 2016 provided him with a great deal more than a champion's gong. {'It contributed to shifting my perspective a little bit ... it proved that the unattainable can be attainable,' he notes.

'How Did Fuchs Find Himself Here?'

The obvious place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs wind up here? 'I guess that's the part that's illogical, right?' he says, letting out laughter. It is the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear demonstration of his engaging character across a fascinating conversation. The discussion runs in different directions, from being managed by Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the immediate requirement to find a nearby hairdresser.

He looks at some correspondence on his desk. Among it is a letter from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, accompanied by a couple of glossy photos from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, grinning. Another delivery brings a stash of old stickers, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club is displayed prominently. 'Stuff like this makes me very content,' he states.

A Prior Encounter and a Misspelt Name

Prior to his move back from North Carolina to accept his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s most recent encounter to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester suffered a Newport giantkilling in the FA Cup third round. On that occasion the Newport kit man competed with Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his life,' Fuchs recalls. But when the official sheets came out, an curious error emerged. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They misspelt my name – somehow a 'k' crept in in place of the 'h'. It is hilarious because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something fitting.'

Experiences from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved inspired. 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 hands-off approach produced miracles. {'When you see Claudio you envision an elder gentleman, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s so not,' Fuchs says. {'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 watched you for a week and I’m not going to alter anything.''

Fuchs cherishes 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 test them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our approach as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a analogous place to where I am now … very motivated, very eager to prove himself.'

Origins and a Stubborn Mindset

Fuchs’s motivation originates in his upbringing in Neunkirchen. {'There are parallels 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 can not do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m quite headstrong. If I see possibility, I’m making it happen.'

Data-Driven 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 statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit numerous season highs,' he says, noting ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very physical, League Two football, but we want to be unique. I think a five-yard pass has a higher probability to find its target than just launching it all the time.'

The broader numbers make sobering 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 last-gasp equaliser with 10 men earned a valuable point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to build a impenetrable home.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own confession, Fuchs likes a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He retired 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 at heart,' he says, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the drills – two pannas already, get in! 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 striving towards this together.'