Steve Bruce is a survivor. He survives until he survives no more. He gets by, doing what he must to keep the wolf from the door. If the wolf could nick the odd goal to deflect from other shortcomings, he would invite him in.
The problem with that, as Newcastle United have found during a joyless 27 months, is that it rendered progress impossible.
Players rarely improved for coaching and the development of an identifiable style was as likely as Bruce accepting responsibility for bad results. He said he did, but he didn’t, really.
Just look at the fallout when he publicly blamed substitute Matt Ritchie for not passing on his instructions - in an empty stadium - before conceding an equaliser at home to Wolves last season.