Newport County

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Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts says Christian Fuchs could be a contender to join a new-look Leicester City coaching staff this summer.

Fuchs' immediate focus is on trying to save Newport County from relegation to the National League.

Whatever happens to the Exiles, Roberts believes fellow former Leicester player Fuchs – a Premier League title winner in 2016 - could be on the Foxes' radar following their relegation from the Championship.

Current Leicester boss Gary Rowett was appointed in February on a short-term deal running until the end of this season.

And after relegation was confirmed in midweek, there has been speculation about who might be in charge at the King Power Stadium come the start of the 2026-27 season.

"Christian Fuchs was a massive part of what they achieved in 2016 - he is so well regarded at the football club," Roberts told this week's Feast of Football podcast.

"I have seen him mentioned going back with Wes Morgan, the captain of that [Premier League title-winning] year.

"Maybe it takes something like that, two players who are really well liked and know the club, to sort things out."

For the moment, Fuchs is concentrating on trying to save Newport from the drop.

The Exiles are one place above the League Two relegation places with two games remaining this season, the first of which is against mid-table Oldham Athletic at Rodney Parade on Saturday (15:00 BST).

A win over Oldham could be enough to ensure Newport's survival depending on results elsewhere.

"I was there when they beat Notts County [to stay up in 2017]," Roberts added.

"The scenes when the final whistle went were quite incredible. Hopefully it will be the same on Saturday."

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Christian Fuchs says Newport County "will get up again" following defeat at Cheltenham Town as they look to avoid relegation to the National League.

The Exiles' League Two survival hopes suffered a blow as they lost to a late Cheltenham goal at Whaddon Road last weekend.

Newport are just a point and a place above the drop zone with two games remaining this season - but Fuchs insists there is "100% belief in this team".

"It's a situation that we have dealt with many times, where we fall down and we get up again, we roll up our sleeves and we keep going," the Newport boss added.

"We have shown a lot of quality throughout the season already, and if there will be changes, it's too early to say."

The Austrian's side have flirted with relegation throughout the season and now face two huge fixtures.

They host Oldham on Saturday (15:00 BST) before a trip to Barrow, the side who currently sit 23rd in the table, on the final day.

Fuchs says his players must stay focused if they are to get the points they need to survive.

"We'll try to be creative, but it's about the freshness and the mental freshness of the players," said Fuchs.

"It's been a long season and now, when it comes down to the wire, we need to have fresh minds on the pitch to execute."

The former Premier League winner hopes Newport fans will play their part in the game against mid-table Oldham.

"They have been incredible this season, all season long already, the way they supported us." Fuchs said.

"I hope they will come en masse like they did at Cheltenham, show great support and have our back."

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With three games to go, Newport County still have work to do to secure their Football League status for another season.

The ecstasy that poured out at Rodney Parade on Saturday as the Exiles edged closer to safety with a 2-1 win over relegation rivals Harrogate Town has been quickly tempered.

Barrow's 3-2 victory in their game in hand on Tuesday night has left Newport precariously perched just one point above the drop zone, a familiar and uncomfortable position.

In a constant swing from setbacks to jubilation, manager Christian Fuchs must navigate not only the challenges on the pitch but also the emotional rollercoaster off it, shifting from the highs of Saturday's victory to the lows of being dragged back towards danger just days later.

The highs and the lows of Newport's season so far

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Level on points with Crawley Town and Tranmere Rovers, Newport head into Saturday's crucial fixture with momentum but nervously looking over their shoulders.

But Fuchs has urged his side to remain focused on themselves.

"To be fair, I saw a little bit of the game [on Tuesday]," the Austrian admitted.

"Barrow got those three points, I'd be disappointed if they didn't fight for the right to remain, but it doesn't affect us. We're focusing on Cheltenham.

"The situation is still the same. It's something we've dealt with for the whole season already and we only have to focus on ourselves."

Since Fuchs' appointment in November, Newport have taken 26 points from 27 matches, a significant improvement on the 11 points collected during David Hughes' 16-game spell earlier in the campaign.

Had Fuchs been at the helm since the start of the season and that rate been sustained, Newport would be approaching 43 points, and seven points clear of danger.

Instead, they have spent much of the campaign entrenched in a survival fight and their struggles have been well-documented.

Until a vital 3-1 home win over Tranmere Rovers in March, County had occupied the bottom two for 151 consecutive days.

A bleak winter saw Fuchs' side go winless in the league from November 8 to December 29, drawing three and losing five, while also exiting both the FA Cup and EFL Trophy.

On Christmas Day, Newport were five points adrift of safety and rooted to the foot of League Two with many seeing them as a certainty for the drop.

Yet spring has brought renewed belief.

The Exiles now sit 22nd, a point above the relegation zone, with survival, crucially, still in their own hands.

A run of seven points from four games that started with an emphatic 3–1 away win at promotion-chasing Salford in February proved a turning point.

Newport have continued to gather momentum and last weekend's success over Harrogate proved another one of those occasions.

Still, nothing is secure. Newport have conceded more goals than any team in the division, kept the joint-fewest clean sheets and average just one goal per game.

With nine precious points still up for grabs, survival is far from a guarantee.

Barrow's dramatic late surge against Oldham on Tuesday, scoring three goals in the final ten minutes, means they could temporarily overtake Newport if they beat Walsall in Saturday lunchtime's early kick-off.

"That's [other results] something you cannot affect," Fuchs said.

"It's all about us. And when we do the simple things right, when we play the ball into the right areas, and when we focus on ourselves, then we have a very good chance.

"That's a distraction obviously that could affect the game or mentality but I'm really not too worried about that."

'We're looking forward to Saturday'

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The immediate focus is Saturday's crucial meeting with Cheltenham Town,

The Robins sit 18th, 12 points clear of trouble and are already assured of their League Two status, which the Exiles continue to seek.

But Fuchs believes that situation makes the game unpredictable rather than straightforward.

"Well, it's one of those that you probably don't know what to expect because they literally don't play for anything anymore at this stage," said Fuchs.

"They are safe. League 2 status guaranteed but I would assume you want to finish the season strong so I'm expecting a competitive game again

"It's the next game for us, that's the most important one, don't worry about what anybody else does."

Despite Barrow's late gasp win and the looming possibility of a final-day showdown against former player Sam Foley, morale in the Newport camp remains high.

"We're just coming off a win at home against Harrogate. Everybody's in good spirits," Fuchs added.

"That's been the theme over the season. Whenever we had setbacks, we put our heads up and kept going. That win definitely elevated the spirits even more and gave us a lot more confidence.

"We're very much looking forward to Saturday already."

Fuchs will be further buoyed by the return of last weekend's matchwinner Joe Thomas, though this game will come too soon for forward Courtney Baker-Richardson, who has only scored two goals since Fuchs' arrival.

But Fuchs is in no doubt that his side have enough to survive and Saturday could yet prove another step forward in achieving this milestone.

"I think you know the answer. The boys have shown, very much so, that they have more than enough to stay up," he said.

"They are all in. And that's also something that you really appreciate as a manager, that you have a team that are really all the way bought in.

"They want to bring the club forward and make sure that we remain in League Two."

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Bobby Kamwa's match-winner for Newport County against Shrewsbury Town has been nominated for the League Two Goal of the Month award for March.

The 26-year-old provided the decisive moment with a sublime strike in the 68th minute as the Exiles beat Gavin Cowan's side 1-0 at Rodney Parade on 28 March to give their survival hopes a major boost.

Kamwa is up against Zech Obiero of Tranmere Rovers, Fleetwood Town's Mark Helm and Crewe Alexandra's Reece Hutchinson for the award.

The winner - decided by fans and a judging panel - will be announced at 10:00 BST on Friday, 17 April.

Aysha Rahman
BBC Sport Wales

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Newport County boss Christian Fuchs says Matt Smith understood the reasons behind his early withdrawal during the Exiles' 3-1 defeat by Notts County on Monday.

Smith, who joined Newport County last summer, was taken off in the first half as Fuchs adjusted his side's shape in the contest against the Magpies.

"He (Smith) knew why I had to do it," Fuchs said.

"I explained my reasoning behind it, he was absolutely fine and I think up until then he played a fairly decent game.

"Matt is an experienced player. I had a conversation with him just before and explained why I had to do it, because we had a change in our shape, but he has taken it absolutely fine."

Fuchs said Smith and fellow midfielder Sven Sprangler - on loan from St Johnstone until the end of the season - handled their roles well before the change.

"I think Matt and Sven controlled the midfield as much as they could," added the Newport boss.

"I think they both did really well in there because they (Notts County) didn't have too many actions inside our box, everything up until 20 yards in front of our box."

Newport's defensive issues proved costly at Meadow Lane, with Fuchs pointing to set-pieces as a key factor.

"It was down to the two set-piece goals that we conceded, which again hurt us a lot," he added.

The Exiles now turn their attention to Saturday's crucial fixture against bottom side Harrogate Town at Rodney Parade (15:00 BST) as they bid to remain out of the League Two relegation zone.

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Christian Fuchs believes Newport County's display in the second half against promotion-chasing Notts County is the blueprint to avoiding relegation.

The Exiles suffered a 3-1 defeat to the third-placed Magpies at Meadow Lane on Monday.

They conceded twice from corners in the first half in Nottingham, Lucas Ness with both headers, before Harrison Biggins' clever finish on 65 minutes gave some hope.

The promotion hopefuls secured victory in the 86th minute through Jayden Luker's powerful finish.

Newport have a vital home fixture against bottom club Harrogate on Saturday with Fuchs demanding his side pick up where they left off.

"The boys had a good reaction in the second half and played with a lot of intensity, desire and heart," he insisted. "They left it all out there and that's the way forward."

Newport were helped by results going their way with the bottom two of Harrogate and Barrow plus fellow strugglers Crawley and Tranmere all losing.

The Exiles are 22nd and a point above the relegation zone with Saturday's fixture against Harrogate and a trip on the final day to Barrow, who have a game in hand.

The boys know they still have it in their own hands," said Fuchs. "The spirit in the second half showed what they are capable of doing, and that's what we need to continue."

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Relegation-threatened Newport County have been given a boost ahead of their League Two trip to Notts County after Magpies striker Alassana Jatta was banned for three games.

The promotion hopefuls will be without their 15-goal top scorer for Monday's fixture (15:00 BST).

Jatta accepted a Football Association (FA) charge of violent conduct for an incident in the 79th minute of Friday's 2-1 defeat by Salford City.

"The forward's behaviour around the 79th minute of the fixture wasn't seen by match officials at the time, but it was caught on video, and the FA subsequently alleged that it constituted violent conduct," read an FA statement.

"Alassana Jatta admitted the charge against him and accepted the standard punishment of a three-match suspension for violent conduct."

Jatta will also miss the fixtures against Cambridge United and Barnet.

Fourth-placed Notts, who are outside the automatic promotion places on goal difference, will still start as favourites at Meadow Lane on Monday.

Newport lost to rivals Crawley Town on Friday and are one place above the relegation zone, a point ahead of both Barrow and Harrogate Town.

The Exiles host Harrogate on Saturday and travel to Barrow, who have a game in hand, on the final day.

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Christian Fuchs says there were "honest words" shared with his Newport County players in the aftermath of the Exiles' 2-0 loss to Crawley Town.

The defeat leaves Newport just one place and one point above the League Two relegation zone with five matches left to play this season.

"We had quite a few honest words in the changing room," said manager Fuchs. "The boys are honest with themselves, we definitely believe in them.

"We need to look at ourselves in the mirror and see what we did wrong because I don't think it was a game that we should lose. It was a game where our mistakes were very costly."

He added: "It's a season of missed opportunities and that's unfortunately the case again."

Newport thought they had taken the lead shortly after the half hour mark at Rodney Parade when Bobby Kamwa netted, although the effort was disallowed for a handball by the 26-year-old.

And Harry McKirdy, who had a loan spell with Newport in 2019, netted twice in quick succession in the second half for the visitors who continued their improvement under new boss Colin Kazim-Richards to ease their own relegation fears.

However, Fuchs remains confident his side can respond to the setback with a more positive showing when they return to action at promotion-chasing Notts County on Monday (15:00 BST).

"I think first half we played decent football. We didn't create the amount of chances that we could have and unfortunately it was handball from Bobby Kamwa when we went 1-0 up," he said.

"The way some of the boys approached the second half was just not good enough."

But the Austrian added: "I'm believing 100% in the team. Usually when we have a performance like this, they roll up their sleeves and go again."

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Christian Fuchs says Newport County have to keep building momentum as they look to avoid League Two relegation.

The Exiles, who have been in the Football League since 2013, welcome fellow strugglers Crawley Town to Rodney Parade on Friday, 3 April (15:00 BST) in a crucial fixture.

After beating Shrewsbury 1-0 last weekend, Fuchs' side aim for back-to-back league wins for the first time this season to boost their survival hopes.

The manager believes his side must be difficult to beat if they are to get another three points on Friday.

"The aim is to build that momentum that we've been speaking about for a very long time," said Fuchs.

"I want the boys to go out there with confidence, be brave, be hard to beat and then just play our game the way they did in our last four games.

"It's about getting the basics right, making sure we fight for every inch on the pitch and make good decisions with and without the ball.

"We have the Amber Army to support us at Rodney Parade, I'm sure they will come in numbers to support us and push us forward."

Despite Newport's vital result, Crawley also picked up their first win since January 31 against Gillingham in Colin Kazim-Richards' first game as their new head coach.

The Red Devils are level on points with Newport and County boss Fuchs knows his side are in for a tough afternoon.

"They've changed their manager and in their last game they won 2-1, so they're a team that is fighting until the death and we're aware of that," said the Austrian.

"It's down to us to make sure that we get on the front foot and dominate.

"This game is important and I'm aware of that, but it is not the game that will define our season."

County will be boosted with the return of defender Lee Jenkins but midfielder Michael Spellman remains a doubt.

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Christian Fuchs says Michael Spellman and Lee Jenkins are closing in on a return to action for Newport County.

Spellman, 23, has been sidelined since sustaining an ankle injury in his side's 2-1 win at Barnet on 14 March.

Jenkins, 24, suffered a shoulder injury in Newport's 1-0 loss to League Two leaders Bromley on 17 March.

But Fuchs confirmed both Spellman and Jenkins could be in line to return to action against Crawley Town on Friday, 3 April (15:00 BST).

The former Austria international also says he has no concerns over defender Cameron Evans who was withdrawn in the latter stages of the Exiles' 1-0 victory against Shrewsbury Town.

"[Spellman and Jenkins] look close to returning. Lee might need a little bit longer, but he's tough as well," the Newport head coach told BBC Sport Wales.

"Spellers, we'll see how fit he is for Crawley."

Newport - currently 22nd - sit two points above the fourth tier's relegation zone with six matches left to play this season.

They are level on points with next opponents Crawley who are 21st having scored twice in added time to ease their own relegation fears with a 2-0 triumph over Gillingham last time out.

But Fuchs says his sole focus remains on his own side as Newport bid to remain above the drop zone.

"It's all about us," added Fuchs.

"If we continue playing the way we are playing, if we continue collecting points, it really doesn't matter what the others are doing.

"We are aware what the situation is."