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

'I estimate that the odds of us turning the season around are slimmer than Leicester winning the Premier League, so they are in our benefit, right?' Christian Fuchs is talking about his recent venture as boss of Newport County, and the daunting task of averting a descent into non-league football. Here lies a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 furnished him a great deal more than a champion's gong. {'It contributed to shifting my outlook a little bit ... it demonstrated that the impossible can be possible,' he notes.

'How Did Fuchs End Up Here?'

The natural place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs wind up here? 'That's the part of the story that isn't straightforward, wouldn't you say?' he says, breaking into laughter. This serves as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear sign of his charismatic character across a wide-ranging conversation. The discussion travels in multiple pathways, from being managed by the current England boss and the former Leicester manager to the urgent quest to find a local barber.

He sorts through some correspondence on his desk. Among it is a note from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, accompanied by a couple of professional photographs from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he muses, smiling. Another package brings a collection of old collector's items, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he captained Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Items like this makes me very pleased,' he states.

A Prior Encounter and a Misspelt Name

Prior to returning from North Carolina to assume his first job in senior 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. During that match the Newport kit man duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his life,' Fuchs admits. But when the lineup cards came out, an curious error came to light. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They got wrong 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 pleasant.'

Insights from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 proved inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in Claudio Ranieri and the rest is history. The Italian joined the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach did the trick. {'When you look at Claudio you imagine an seasoned professional, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit old school, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs says. {'He just said he was going to watch training in Austria for the first week. He didn’t get involved 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 change anything.''

Fuchs values experiences 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 push them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our methodology 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 keen to prove himself.'

Background and a Resolute Nature

Fuchs’s determination comes from 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 shares. {'There are people who let that defeat them or there are people who say: ‘Watch me, 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 demonstrate that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m quite headstrong. If I see promise, I’m going for 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, displaying a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit numerous season highs,' he explains, highlighting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not satisfied with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' 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 percentage to arrive than just hoofing it all the time.'

The general numbers make sobering reading. Newport have secured 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 tasted victory 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 secured a valuable point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to build a fortress.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own admission, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He ended his playing career less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, enjoys being in the thick of things. {'I’m a member of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he states, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the small-sided games – two megs already, get in! I want us to regard each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re tackling this collectively.'