Selection: more merit or nepotism?

Everytime the US men's team loses, there is someone saying, in addition to other things, that there's too much nepotism in soccer (for eg, with Bob Bradley's family)... which prevents the true cream from rising to the top (in both players and coaches). At lower levels (pre-college) I have heard of politics too, I imagine it's par for the course.

I haven't had to deal with such stuff yet... but I am wondering... as you climb up the U levels (U10, 12... 16, 18)... do you view things as "fair"...

Selection: more merit or nepotism?