🔗 Share this article

'I would say that the odds of us turning the season around are lower than Leicester winning the Premier League, so they are in our benefit, right?' The Austrian veteran is reflecting on his fresh chapter as manager of the League Two strugglers, and the daunting task of staving off a drop 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 contributed to shifting my mindset a little bit ... it proved that the unthinkable can be possible,' he remarks.

'How Did Fuchs End Up Here?'

The logical place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs end up here? 'I guess that's the part that's illogical, right?' he comments, breaking into laughter. This serves as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear indication of his charismatic character across a fascinating conversation. The discussion runs in various tangents, from working under the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the urgent quest to find a barber in the area.

He opens some post on his desk. There is a note from a Leicester supporter wishing him well, along with a couple of glossy photos from that campaign. {'Young Fuchs,' he says, with a smile. Another envelope brings a collection of old stickers, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A card from the Newport Supporters’ Club is given special attention. Things like this really makes me very pleased,' he adds.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Prior to coming back from North Carolina to accept his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s most recent encounter to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester suffered a Newport shock defeat in the FA Cup third round. That day David Pipe faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the match of his life,' Fuchs recalls. But when the official sheets were released, an curious error emerged. {'You need to edit this,' Fuchs says with a smile. 'They misspelled 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.'

Lessons from Claudio, Rodgers and Tuchel

His decision to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 turned out to be inspired. A couple of weeks later Leicester appointed Claudio Ranieri and an iconic story unfolded. The Italian joined the club in the middle of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach worked wonders. {'When you look at Claudio you picture an elder gentleman, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s so not,' Fuchs says. {'He just said he was going to observe 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 lessons learned 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 test them psychologically?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our philosophy as well. How can you make good players who choose wisely? Back then he was probably in a similar situation to where I am now … very focused, very eager to prove himself.'

Origins and a Determined Character

Fuchs’s determination originates in his early years 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 capable enough,' he shares. {'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 can not do this, you cannot do that.’ I’m going to show that I can and work my socks off. The other thing about my make-up is: I’m pretty headstrong. If I see possibility, I’m doing it.'

Data-Driven Approach and the Battle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and formerly ran Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs opens his laptop to show analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, displaying a slide he used with his players. {'The team hit many, many season bests,' he says, noting ball progression and statistics about breaking defensive lines. Passing accuracy was logged at 87%. {'Not pleased with that … that needs to be in the mid-90s,' he declares. {'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 percentage to find its target than just launching it all the time.'

The general numbers make sobering reading. Newport have secured 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 93rd-minute equaliser with 10 men secured a crucial point. {'We need to be a power at home,' Fuchs says. {'It’s just not satisfactory, not even having a win. We need to create a impenetrable home.'

Still a Player at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so bad with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player in here,' he says, tapping his chest. {'At training I’m always joining in in the drills – two megs already, brilliant! 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 working on this as one.'