{Christian Fuchs: 'I'm Pretty Stubborn. Whenever I Notice Promise, I'm Going for It'|Ex-Leicester Star Christian Fuchs Opens Up on League Two Challenge

'I would say that the chances of us reviving our campaign are lower than Leicester claiming the Premier League, so they are in our favor, right?' The Austrian veteran is discussing his fresh chapter as head coach of the League Two strugglers, and the daunting task of preventing a fall into non-league football. It is a challenge at the complete other end of the spectrum of success, though that unbelievable title win in 2016 furnished him far more than a champion's gong. {'It assisted in altering my outlook a little bit ... it showed that the unattainable can be achievable,' he notes.

The Illogical Path to Rodney Parade

The obvious place to start is: how did 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 serves as the 39-year-old's opening gambit and a clear sign of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. Our talk travels in multiple pathways, from playing for the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the urgent quest to find a barber in the area.

He looks at some mail on his desk. Among it is a note from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, along with a couple of shiny pictures from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, smiling. Another envelope brings a stash of old Panini stickers, one from an album celebrating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. 'Stuff like this makes me very happy,' he states.

A Prior Encounter and a Misspelt Name

Until coming back from North Carolina to take on 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. That day the Newport kit man faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the game of his career,' Fuchs says. But when the official sheets were released, an interesting error came to light. {'You need to redact this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' found its way in in place of the 'h'. It is amusing because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something fitting.'

Insights from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian came to the club in the heart of a pre-season camp in Austria and his observational approach worked wonders. {'When you see Claudio you imagine an elder gentleman, so long in the business, maybe a bit old school, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs states. {'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 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 more out of the players? How can I challenge them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our methodology as well. How can you make good thinkers on the pitch? Back then he was probably in a comparable position to where I am now … very focused, very eager to prove himself.'

Roots and a Resolute Nature

Fuchs’s motivation comes from his early years 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 capable enough,' he discloses. {'There are people who let that defeat 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 can't do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and put in the hard yards. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m very stubborn. If I see promise, 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 fires up his laptop to show statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit numerous season bests,' he points out, highlighting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he declares. {'My first game, it was very direct, fourth-tier football, but we want to be different. I think a five-yard pass has a higher chance to arrive than just going long all the time.'

The overarching numbers make sobering 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 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 earned a valuable point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs stresses. {'It’s just not acceptable, not even having a win. We need to construct a impenetrable home.'

In the Thick of It at Heart

By his own confession, Fuchs likes a challenge. {'What’s so wrong 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 remarks, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the drills – two megs already, brilliant! I want us to view each other as a single unit. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re tackling this as one.'