Taking a results only view, possibly, if you consider Winks & KWP only, a failure but when you consider the outside factors mentioned such as the talent produced from the academy at the time/the personnel leading the academy and the clubs priorities being almost solely focussed on the stadium build, not so much
This doesn't make much sense..... With trf funds reduced by the stadium project you'd think that would put more onus on making the best of the academy talent in order to maximise the funds that were available.
As someone else mentioned above; KWP v Aurier, Edwards v GKN etc.