SportsNet - May 2012

How is success measured in the Premier League?

The general answer is silverware. It’s practically all we hear about. Arsene Wenger’s inability to win a trophy has dominated the offseason news cycles for the better part of a decade. A Chelsea coach’s dilemma, but Roman Abramovich’s obsession with and failure to win the UEFA Champion’s League, has made the managerial job at Stamford Bridge the textbook example of the proverbial “Revolving Door”.

But does the recent lack of champagne soaked end-of-season parties and parades make Arsenal and Chelsea unsuccessful clubs? Maybe in relation to the competition winners, but each tournament has only one of those. This measure ignores the possible relative success of 95 percent of the league.

So how do the clubs who don’t compete for the major trophies decide if their season was one of success or failure?