🔗 Share this article

'The probability of a late surge is arguably more remote than that historic 5,000-1 title, which somehow puts the odds in our favor.' Christian Fuchs is reflecting on his fresh chapter as manager of the League Two strugglers, and the monumental task of preventing a descent into non-league football. It is a challenge at the polar opposite of the scale, though that miraculous title win in 2016 furnished him a great deal more than a champion's gong. {'It assisted in altering my outlook a little bit ... it demonstrated that the impossible can be attainable,' he remarks.

The Surprising Path to Rodney Parade

The logical place to start is: what was the journey that led Fuchs find himself here? 'That's the part of the story that defies logic, wouldn't you say?' he says, letting out a chuckle. This serves as the 39-year-old's introductory line and a clear demonstration of his engaging character across a fascinating conversation. Discourse flows in different directions, from being managed by the current England boss and Brendan Rodgers to the pressing need to find a nearby hairdresser.

He sorts through some post on his desk. Included is a letter from a Leicester supporter offering encouragement, paired with a couple of professional photographs from that season. {'Young Fuchs,' he remarks, grinning. Another delivery brings a collection of old Panini stickers, one from an album marking Euro 2016, when he skippered Austria. A note from the Newport Supporters’ Club has pride of place. Things like this makes me very happy,' he adds.

A Past Trip and a Typographical Error

Until returning from North Carolina to take on his first job in senior management last month, Fuchs’s last trip to Rodney Parade was in January 2019, when Leicester suffered a Newport cupset in the FA Cup third round. That day a former full-back faced off against Fuchs. {'He had the match of his career,' Fuchs admits. But when the lineup cards dropped, an curious error came to light. {'You need to censor this,' Fuchs remarks. 'They got wrong my name – somehow a 'k' crept in in place of the 'h'. It is funny because Fuchs, in German, means fox, so it’s something fitting.'

Experiences from The Tinkerman, Rodgers and Tuchel

His move to join the Foxes in the summer of 2015 was a masterstroke. A couple of weeks later Leicester brought in Claudio Ranieri and what followed is legendary. The Italian came to the club in the midst of a pre-season camp in Austria and his hands-off approach did the trick. {'When you look at Claudio you picture an seasoned professional, so a veteran of the sport, maybe a bit set in his ways, but he’s anything but,' Fuchs states. {'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 modify anything.''

Fuchs cherishes insights gained 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 challenge them mentally?’’ Fuchs says of Tuchel. {'That’s a big part of our approach as well. How can you make good decision-makers? Back then he was probably in a comparable position to where I am now … very motivated, very anxious to prove himself.'

Background and a Resolute Mindset

Fuchs’s determination comes from his early years in Neunkirchen. {'There are comparisons 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 can't do this, you can not do that.’ I’m going to prove that I can and give absolutely everything. The other thing about my personality is: I’m very determined. If I see possibility, I’m going for it.'

Detailed Approach and the Battle for Survival

Fuchs’s assistant, Mark Smith, was born in Newport and previously led Fuchs’s Fox Soccer Academy. Fuchs boots up his laptop to show statistics from a recent 2-2 draw, presenting a slide he showed his players. {'The team hit many, many season bests,' he says, noting ball progression and statistics about getting behind defensive lines. Passing accuracy was recorded at 87%. {'Not happy with that … that needs to be in the 90-95% range,' he states. {'My first game, it was very direct, lower-league football, but we want to be distinct. I think a five-yard pass has a higher probability to find its target than just hoofing it all the time.'

The broader numbers present grim 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 won a game 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 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 construct a fortress.'

One of the Lads at Heart

By his own acknowledgement, Fuchs enjoys a challenge. {'What’s so negative with that?' He hung up his boots less than three years ago and, like Tuchel, loves being in the middle of the action. {'I’m a part of the group. I’m still a player inside,' he says, indicating his chest. {'At training I’m always getting involved in the small-sided games – two megs already, brilliant! I want us to regard each other as one team. Yes, you’re the ones on the field, but we’re a collective, we’re working on this collectively.'