Inigo Calderon became a fans’ favourite during his six years with the Seagulls as a player – and now he is back, as head coach of the men's under-18s.
The former player of 232 games’ standing, is a League One title winner, Player of the Season recipient in 2014/15, club community ambassador, cult hero and all-round great guy.
He departed the club in 2016 for Cypriot side Anorthosis with more than a tear in the eye, and then won the Indian Super League with Chennaiyin before returning to his boyhood club Alaves to hang up his boots in favour of a coaching role.
But now Calde is back to continue his love affair with the Seagulls and the city – an association that he feels was always on the agenda.
“I’m so, so happy to be back in Brighton, I always said I wanted to come back and while I didn’t know how or when, it was always my aim and this feels like the right time.
“I went to Cyprus and then India, all while still doing some scouting for Brighton, so we have always stayed in contact. I loved my experiences around the world, they gave me another view of football, but this is my home in England. I loved my time here as a player, it was a special period in my career, and I’m really excited to start working with the boys and the staff.”
Calde return to his Basque homeland in 2019, where he became the under-23s’ assistant head coach with Alaves before taking a role as under-18s head coach – a similar position to the one he has taken with the Seagulls.
The former defender believes his time as a player, which spanned 19 years, likewise his fledgling coaching career back home, has put him in the perfect position to take on his latest role with the Albion.
“I’m happy to have been in so many places because it’s helped me become a better coach,” he stated. “When you stay in different countries, you see things differently, it gives you new ideas.
“It gives you another perspective of how to play, and you can see the good things and the bad things.
“Now I want to help our players here at Brighton get the maximum out of themselves as players and as people.
“I’ve been to a lot of places and know for a fact that this is one of the best. When you’re here and around the place, you can feel that Brighton is a special club. I’ve told the players they’re in the best place they can be as young footballers.
“So it’s up to them to make the most of their opportunity here, and up to us as coaches to help them.”
Just being in Calde’s company again, you sense a real desire, a real fervour to help the players fulfil their undoubted potential.
In fact, there appears to be even more passion in his voice, in his demeanour, than there was as a player.
“I prefer to coach than to play,” admits the 41-year-old. “I don’t think that too many people say that because they enjoy playing too much. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed playing, but I felt it was more about not making a mistake than actually really enjoying playing football.
“Also, a coach’s role I feel is 24/7, whereas when you’re a player it’s just training and after that you have to rest. When you’re a coach, you have so many things going on. All the time you’re thinking about football, the next coaching session, the next game, and for me that’s why I love it.
“I get up so excited now; at 6am in the morning I am already awake. As a footballer you cannot do that, you have to just rest and train to maybe play or not, for two hours a day, but being a coach is full-on, 24/7.”
There is also the man-management side of the game to think about; the modern-day coach is more than just a tactician. You look at the close bond Roberto De Zerbi has with his players, likewise Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp – and it’s clear to see that relationships are also key to any on-field success.
“It’s not just about tactics, I love them, but it is a lot as well about how you manage,” Calde reflected. “Football is a team sport but all the players want to play, everybody has their own thing going on and you have to deal with them.
“And after that, you have staff to manage and all these things to create a good atmosphere. I love this part, the personal and social side, to try to get the best of everyone, including myself.
“That’s a great challenge because otherwise it will be too easy; you could just read a book and you’d know the tactics and know how to be a leader. But it’s not a book. It’s not that easy.”
One change that Calde has noticed, compared to when he first came into the club, is the pull the Albion has nationally in attracting young players as a Category 1 academy. With the added attraction of one of the best training facilities in the country, Brighton is now a destination for players far and wide.
That will bring its own issues, homesickness for instance, and Inigo is aware that members of his squad will need to settle off the pitch as well as on it.
“It’s a tricky time for some of the young players,” he admitted. “It might be the first time they are away from their family homes, a first experience for them and it’s at a young age.
“So that’s not easy for them and you have to think about how you manage the situation.
“Things can happen on the pitch, but a lot of things happen off it that you have to try to control and manage and that is the project. The balance of the development of the players and the results we want has to be on the same level.”
Calderon is also well aware that he, too, is on a learning curve. These are still early days in his own development, but he admits that he couldn’t be at a better club to continue his education.
“I am going to try and learn from everyone, that’s what I’m here to do. I will coach and help players but I’m also willing to learn.
“I will learn from Roberto [De Zerbi] and Shannon [Ruth, under-21s head coach] but also Melissa Phillips and coaches of the younger age groups. That’s what I always try to do.
“This is a special time for the club. The way it’s grown since I first arrived is amazing and the coaches here are fantastic – obviously Roberto is one of the best in the world.
“To learn from these people is exciting and I’m really looking forward to the season ahead. My love for Brighton has become even bigger and better so I couldn’t wait to get started again.”