Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said the prospect of his players becoming addicted to video games is one which he has to be constantly vigilant about.
The Austrian disclosed that video game addiction had been a problem at his previous club Red Bull Leipzig.
"Especially gaming, I think it’s something you have to force actively against and I will do this," said the 51-year-old during his press conference ahead of this weekend's game against Brighton.
"I did it in my last club, we had also problems with players, they were playing until three o'clock in the morning before a game.
"You have to be active and to help protect them because it’s not a small problem because if you are honest it’s the same as alcoholism or getting addicted to drugs.
"It’s something you get addicted to and that means we have to protect the players. It's something we have to do as a club. To protect them means helping them not to spend so much time there.
"As long as it's not officially for the government an illness, then we have to protect them in our way.
"If it would be an illness then it would be easy for the government to say the companies have to give a block after three hours, for example, that they can't play this game anymore.
"Otherwise, we block the Wi-Fi in the hotel, for example, in the evening so they can’t play anymore.
"I will be active always in this direction because I have to protect them, not on the pitch only but also outside the pitch and that means for 24 hours I have to look at them and that's what I will do."
Hasenhuttl said it has not yet been an issue at Southampton.
"In my own squad, at the moment no.
"But you can be sure that I’m always in contact with my captain or with a few players to speak about them.
"Social media is the same thing. I think there are still chances with smartphones to cut it after a few hours. That would be sometimes necessary."
You can watch Hasenhutl speaking about the issue from the 8:45 minute mark below.
Watch LIVE as #SaintsFC boss Ralph Hasenhüttl speaks the media ahead of the trip to face #BHAFC in the #PL: https://t.co/P7VCyJ2ove
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 28, 2019
