Ralph Hasenhuttl says he will speak to his squad about the dangers of gaming addiction.

An unnamed EFL player has been quoted in The Sun confessing to playing 16 hours of computer games a day.

Many footballers are known to be gamers but there is now concern that addiction levels are growing.

Hasenhuttl said it is a problem he has experienced at previous clubs to the extent that he had hotels turn off Wi-Fi systems to prevent players staying up until 3am the day before a game.

He insisted he hasn’t experienced similar issues at Saints but is well aware of the potential for serious issues.

He said: “Gaming I think is something you have to force active against and I will do this. I did this in my last club. Players were playing until 3am before a game.

“You have to be active and to protect them.

“It is not a small problem I think because if you are honest it is the same as alcoholism or getting addicted to drugs.

“It is something you get addicted to and that means you have to protect the players and it’s something we have to do as a club and to protect them means to help them not to spend so much time there.

“As long as from the government it is not officially an illness we have to protect in our way.

“If it was an illness from the government then it would be easy to say to the companies maybe they have to give a block after three hours, for example, they can’t play this game anymore.

“If after three hours it is 20 hours blocked we don’t have to do this.

“Otherwise you see we block the Wi-Fi in the hotel for the evening so they can’t play anymore.

“I will be active always in this direction.

“My point is I have to protect them and to protect them not on the pitch only and also outside the pitch and that means 24 hours I have to look at them and that’s what I will do.”

Hasenhuttl admitted he speaks with senior members of his playing squad in order to spot any problems within the playing staff.

“My own squad at the moment not but you can be sure I am always in contact with my captain and a few players,” he confessed.

“Social media is also the same and there are chances to cut it after a few hours and that would sometimes be necessary.

“It is part of our community and the present and we have to face it and sometimes to protect the players we have to help.”