CHRISTIAN FUCHS has begged former Leicester teammate Jamie Vardy to help him save struggling Newport County.
The ex-Austria international, who won the Premier League title with Vardy in 2016, has taken his first job in management with League Two County.
Former Fox Fuchs, 39, got the call 11 weeks ago to take over the shock role.
But the former left-back has found the going tough at the lower end of the EFL.
Newport sit second-bottom in League Two, having won just five of their 28 games this season.
And Fuchs is now facing the possibility of a disastrous relegation to the National League.
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But he has now revealed he sent an SOS plea to former Leicester pal Vardy in an audacious bid to bring the striker back to England.
The 39-year-old, who netted 24 league goals during the Foxes’ famous title win a decade ago, joined Italian side Cremonese last summer.
Vardy has struck 5 goals in 19 games for the Serie A minnows.
Yet Fuchs could not resist trying to sign him for Newport County after taking the job in November.
The Austrian admits he never stood a chance of convincing Vardy to abandon top-flight football for the mire of lower league.
But Fuchs was still glad he gave it a shot, telling the Mail: “I like a challenge but this, for my first job, is probably the toughest of them all.
“(First) I asked Jamie if he wants to pack his bags. Of course I did, even though I knew what the answer would be!”
On his own management style, Fuchs admitted he takes inspiration from former bosses like Thomas Tuchel and Dean Smith but wants to create his own style and legacy.
He 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 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.”
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