Jamie Vardy in League Two?! Ex-Leicester star Christian Fuchs reveals talks with Cremonese striker over stunning transfer to England's fourth tier after taking manager's job

Former Austria international Fuchs has returned to British football after bringing his playing career to a close in MLS with Charlotte FC. He was not expecting to tread this path, with coaching teeth being cut at a team that sat bottom of the League Two table when he took over.

He has told the Daily Mail of diving in at the deep end, with a surprising new adventure being embraced: “I like a challenge but this, for my first job, is probably the toughest of them all.” Fuchs has guided his team off the foot of their division and to within three points of safety.

There is still much work to be done and an SOS call was sounded to ex-England international Vardy when taking the reins at Rodney Parade - with a proven top-flight goalscorer asked if he fancied leaving Serie A at Cremonese for a fresh start in South Wales. Fuchs said: “I asked Jamie if he wants to pack his bags. Of course I did, even though I knew what the answer would be!”

Fuchs has overseen a couple of wins from his opening 12 games at the helm, including Newport’s first on home soil in 289 days, and is hoping to take inspiration from the many managers that he worked under - including Brendan Rodgers, Claudio Ranieri and Dean Smith.

The Austrian added: “You take bits and pieces – good things and bad things – but then you adapt it to how you feel is the right way. I don’t want to be a [Thomas] Tuchel, I don’t want to be a Dean Smith, but all of them did something that I appreciated as a player. Everyone has to find their own way. It’s more about off the pitch and how you want to be as a person. The bottom line is always how to deal with people. I have phone numbers. I was just on two phone calls this morning to ask for advice. You should not be shy to pick up the phone.”

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Fuchs is as surprised as anybody to find himself in the dugout, with his initial plan being to focus on businesses away from football, including a clothing line, the Fox Soccer Academy and maybe even a venture into NFL as a kicker. “I never saw myself in this role,” he admits. “To be honest, it didn’t entice me at all. Now, I really, really enjoy it.”

While focused on events at Newport, Fuchs is keeping an eye on how Leicester are faring - with a tough time for the Foxes seeing them hit with a points deduction in the Championship while looking for their fifth permanent manager in the space of 20 months, having parted company with Marti Cifuentes.

Fuchs said of goings on at the King Power Stadium: “It’s tough to see, the points deduction, which will put them right into a relegation battle. I checked the table right away. It hurts because as much as I’m dedicated and committed to what I’m doing here with Newport, I’ll always be a Leicester supporter. I have watched almost every single game since I left. It hurts a lot.”

Quizzed on whether he could return to the East Midlands in a coaching capacity at some stage, the 39-year-old former left-back added: “Yes. I’m not making secrets. I went through everything with that club that you can imagine and cannot imagine, from the highest highs to the lowest lows. That creates a special bond. I said when I left that you might lose a player but you gain a fan. That’s what I am.

“Chris Finn [Newport’s head of operations] said to me the other day: ‘It doesn’t look good for Leicester...they might sack the manager soon. Bye, Christian!’ They know how much Leicester means to me. I might need to make it more of a secret but I cannot. It doesn’t take anything away from my loyalty here, the energy and hard work I put in. This club gave me the first opportunity here in the UK to be a manager. So, I am very thankful for that. That has a special place but Leicester is just different.”

With Leicester now locked in a relegation battle of their own, as they seek to avoid dropping from the Premier League and into League One across successive seasons, Newport will be looking to take another step towards safety on Saturday when playing host to Grimsby. They will not have Vardy on board, but Fuchs is doing his best to conjure up another miracle.