Housebound Albion legend Inigo Calderon has urged people to show respect for hard-pressed health workers.

That means not taking advantages of freedom which they still enjoy.

And staying at home if or when the Government order comes to do so.

Calderon is currently cooped up in a flat with his wife and two children, aged seven and four, in Vitoria as part of measures to slow the spread of coronavirus.

That will remain the case for at least two more weeks as Spain remains in a state of emergency.

He believes the “stay at home” order will come in the United Kingdom if the public show a lack of responsibility he has seen in his homeland.

But he reckons the public here can do their bit in the battle against the virus.

Calde, a huge fans’ favourite during his six years at the club, said: “Here they had to stop everything because people took no notice.

“Even now, you are allowed to go to the shop so some people take advantage and go every day.

“You are allowed to walk your dog so people do it ten times a day.

“Unfortunately I don’t have a dog anymore. I miss him more than ever!

“We only go to the supermarket once a week and we do it when we think it is safe.

“It comes down to respect. Respect for the NHS.

“If the NHS is fighting a battle and all they ask of us is to stay at home, then we do that out of respect for them.

“In Spain, we knew about China and Italy but we didn’t close anything until it was really bad.

“The UK has been the same even though they have seen what has gone on before.

“Here, staying at home had to be made compulsory because people just didn’t get it.

“Now we are doing okay in our town.”

The Argus: Inigo Calderon in his Albion playing daysInigo Calderon in his Albion playing days

Calderon said he would take his family out for walks in remote areas if it were still allowed.

He added: “We have mountains here and I took the kids for walks because there was nobody and I knew it was safe.

“It should be safe enough to go for a walk somewhere outside but people don’t behave and then they have to forbid everything.

“We try to have a programme. We do kids’ homework in the morning and we have activities planned.

“We have more activities planned then when you go on holiday to Tenerife!

“But it is complicated. We live in a flat, like a lot of people in Brighton and Hove. We don’t have a garden.

“But it is also a time to enjoy being with my wife and kids. That is a big positive.”

Calderon coaches fully-professional Alaves B, whose squad includes on-loan Albion striker Bojan Radulovic.

He said: “We don’t train. I’ve sent them things to do and I’ve sent them clips from top matches, like Champions League, to analyse, just to try and keep them focused.

“I’ve also been able to talk to them one-to-one on the phone, which isn’t usually so easy when we are busy.”