(CNN) The Duke of Cambridge, who is the English Football Association's President, has criticized professional clubs in England, accusing them of failing to take the mental health of their players seriously.

Speaking during a trip to Northern Ireland, where he visited the country's Windsor Park national stadium, Prince William described the sport's failure to fight the issue as a "dereliction of duty."

He pointed to clubs' willingness to move players on without regard should they fail to make the grade, without considering the adverse effects the treatment could have on their individual well-being, leaving them without the necessary support to move on with their lives.

"Some of these clubs don't do anything about mental health," Prince William said. "They pick a player up, he plays football, 'no good,' move on.

"If we've got to change anything, we've got to change the whole way we look after players.