Former West Ham United defender Julien Faubert has told David Moyes to play the kids against Gent while claiming he is 'lucky' to still be in charge of West Ham.
The Hammers play the first leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final on Thursday night, hoping to go all the way and progress one stage further after losing in the Europa League semi-final last season.
However, last season in the Premier League West Ham were on their way to another top-eight finish but 12 months later find themselves fighting against relegation.
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Only three points above the relegation zone, manager Moyes doesn't have the luxury of resting players in between the Thursday-Sunday schedule and Faubert, who spent five years in east London between 2007-12, thinks the focus should be on keeping the club in the Premier League and resting starters for that challenge.
"It's great that West Ham are playing in Europe, for sure, but I think it's a distraction for them right now, when you look at where the team are in the Premier League," said Faubert.
"What good is it to go all the way in the Europa Conference League if you're suffering in the Premier League as a result? Think about the extra number of games these guys are having to play, the travel that comes with the away fixtures... these things could make a difference when it comes to the end of the season."
Faubert added that Moyes is fortunate to still be in the London Stadium dugout given their poor results in the league so far this season.
Among the teams fighting against relegation, only West Ham and Nottingham Forest have stuck by their manager and the 39-year-old believes his former club should move on from Moyes and take a look at another British manager - specifically Graham Potter and Brendan Rodgers who were recently sacked from Chelsea and Leicester City respectively.
"David Moyes is lucky to still be in charge of West Ham, if I'm honest... especially when you look at how many managers have been sacked in the Premier League this season, and the performances we've seen from his team over the last few months. I was surprised when I saw in the news that he still has the backing of the board.
"I've said it before; I hope they don't make the same mistake as they did when they appointed Avram Grant. As far as the next replacement goes, I'd like to see someone come in who is already associated with the club in some way. There are some great names out there, the likes of Graham Potter and Brendan Rodgers would obviously be linked if Moyes was to leave any time soon.
"In an ideal world, they'd bring in someone who supports the club, someone who has spent a lot of time around the place, because there's something special about West Ham, and you'll only know it if you've been a part of it before. I want someone to come in who loves the club.
"Of the names that are out there now, though, I'd like Brendan Rodgers. I like what he brings to a team and I could see him being a good fit. I don't see them going for a foreign manager - unless it was me! I think they need to stick with a British guy, someone who understands the identity of the club."
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