{Christian Fuchs: 'I'm Pretty Determined. If I See Possibility, I'm Doing It'|Ex-Leicester Star Christian Fuchs Opens Up on Newport County Task

'I estimate that the chances of us transforming our fortunes are lower than Leicester claiming the Premier League, so they are in our benefit, right?' Christian Fuchs is reflecting on his fresh chapter as head coach of the Football League's bottom club, and the daunting task of preventing a drop into non-league football. It is a challenge at the polar opposite of the spectrum of success, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 provided him with a great deal more than a champion's gong. {'It helped change my outlook a little bit ... it proved that the unattainable can be attainable,' he remarks.

The Unlikely Path to Rodney Parade

The natural place to start is: how did Fuchs find himself here? 'I suppose that's the part that's not logical, right?' he states, letting out laughter. This serves as the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear demonstration of his charismatic character across a wide-ranging conversation. The discussion flows in different directions, from being managed by Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a local barber.

He looks at some mail on his desk. Among it is a note from a Leicester supporter sending best wishes, along with a couple of shiny pictures from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, smiling. Another package brings a hoard of old stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Things like this genuinely makes me very happy,' he concludes.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Until coming back from North Carolina to assume his first job in first-team coaching last month, Fuchs’s most recent encounter to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester endured a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. During that match a former full-back duelled against Fuchs. {'He had the performance of his life,' Fuchs admits. But when the official sheets came out, an amusing error was discovered. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs jokes. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' smuggled itself in in place of the 'h'. It is funny because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something fitting.'

Insights from Ranieri, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian joined the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach produced miracles. {'When you look at Claudio you imagine an elder gentleman, so experienced in the game, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs explains. {'He just said he was going to observe 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 alter anything.''

Fuchs holds dear lessons learned from Rodgers and Tuchel, under whom he worked while on loan at Mainz. {'He always considered: ‘How can I get additional out of the players? How can I challenge them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our approach as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a similar situation to where I am now … very focused, very keen to prove himself.'

Background and a Determined Mindset

Fuchs’s motivation stems from his upbringing 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 discloses. {'There are people who let that get the better of them or there are people who say: ‘Fuchs 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 give absolutely everything. The other thing about my character is: I’m pretty determined. If I see promise, I’m doing it.'

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 boots up his laptop to show data from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit many, many season highs,' he says, emphasizing ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he insists. {'My first game, it was very physical, League Two football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher percentage to find its target than just going long all the time.'

The broader numbers present grim reading. Newport have managed 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 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 secured a valuable point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to create a stronghold.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs relishes a challenge. {'What’s so negative 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 says, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the boxes – two nutmegs already, yes! I want us to see each other as a unified group. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re all in this together, we’re striving towards this together.'