{Christian Fuchs: 'I'm Pretty Stubborn. Whenever I Notice Possibility, I'm Going for It'|Ex-Leicester Star Christian Fuchs Opens Up on Newport County Mission

'I would say that the likelihood of us turning the season around are slimmer than Leicester winning the Premier League, so they are in our favor, right?' Christian Fuchs is discussing his fresh chapter as boss of Newport County, and the monumental task of staving off a drop into non-league football. This represents a challenge at the complete other end of the scale, though that fairytale title win in 2016 furnished him much more than a winner's medal. {'It helped change my outlook a little bit ... it showed that the unattainable can be achievable,' he remarks.

'How Did Fuchs Find Himself Here?'

The obvious place to start is: what brought Fuchs end up here? 'That's the aspect of the story that defies logic, wouldn't you say?' he says, breaking into a chuckle. This remark acts as the 39-year-old's initial statement and a clear indication of his engaging character across a wide-ranging conversation. Discourse runs in multiple pathways, from playing for the current England boss and the former Leicester manager to the urgent quest to find a barber in the area.

He opens some correspondence on his desk. Among it is a note from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, along with a couple of professional photographs from that memorable year. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, grinning. Another envelope brings a stash of old stickers, one from an album commemorating Euro 2016, when he led Austria. A greeting from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. 'Stuff like this really makes me very happy,' he adds.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Prior to coming back from North Carolina to take on his first job in frontline management last month, Fuchs’s previous visit 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 competed with Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs recalls. But when the lineup cards came out, an amusing error emerged. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs remarks. '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.'

Lessons from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His choice to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester hired Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian arrived at the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his light-touch approach worked wonders. {'When you observe Claudio you picture an seasoned professional, so long in the business, maybe a bit traditional, but he’s the complete opposite,' Fuchs states. {'He just said he was going to watch 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 observed you for a week and I’m not going to modify anything.''

Fuchs holds dear experiences 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 push them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a major part of our philosophy 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 motivated, very anxious to prove himself.'

Roots and a Resolute Mindset

Fuchs’s motivation stems 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 overcome 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 character is: I’m quite stubborn. If I see potential, I’m doing it.'

Detailed 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 analytics from a recent 2-2 draw, sharing a slide he presented to his players. {'The team hit numerous season highs,' he explains, noting ball progression and statistics about penetrating defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not satisfied with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he states. {'My first game, it was very long-ball, 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 hoofing it all the time.'

The general numbers paint sobering reading. Newport have won 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 garnered a precious point. {'We need to be a force at home,' Fuchs emphasizes. {'It’s just not good enough, not even having a win. We need to build a impenetrable home.'

Still a Player 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, loves being in the heart of the battle. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player at heart,' he remarks, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always participating in the drills – two megs already, get in! I want us to see each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re striving towards this collectively.'