The captain is back.

After more than a month on the injured list, Ottawa Fury FC captain Richie Ryan participated in full team practice Wednesday, his first session with the squad since training camp.

Ryan likely won’t see any action this weekend when Fury opens its home schedule against Minnesota United at TD Place, but could be ready to go as soon as next Wednesday against FC Edmonton.

“It’s great to be back on the training pitch with the team, it’s been a frustrating pre-season for me, personally,” Ryan said after Wednesday’s session wrapped up. “Hopefully I can stay injury-free now.”

While young players like Patryk Misik and off-season depth additions like Brandon Poltronieri have stepped up without Ryan, the Irishman’s absence in central midfield is noticeable, even in training.

Ryan, in keeping with his typically low-key personality, has a critical ability to both calm a game down and provide a key link between his side’s back line and forwards. The club’s identity as a possession team is built around players like Ryan and that’s just his actual soccer ability. His role as leader has been missed just as much, if not more so.

Ryan admits it hasn’t been easy watching his team start the season without being part of it but knows rushing back into the starting 11 before he’s fully up to speed would be a risky move.

“I’ve got to work hard on my fitness now to get back to the level the lads are at,” he said.

Coach Marc Dos Santos intends to patient with Ryan and won’t risk losing his captain for longer just to have him at the home-opener.

“He’s back (at training) but if I’m looking at his future with the club and his being able to play a lot games I’d be crazy to start him (Saturday),” Dos Santos said Wednesday.

With a busy stretch of games coming up including midweek dates with FC Edmonton as part of the Amway Canadian Championship, Dos Santos isn’t putting a date on Ryan’s return to action.

“He might get minutes (Saturday) or play the game against Edmonton but I can’t put him in that position of starting him,” said the coach. “It’s the first time in a month he’s trained with the team. It’s positive, it’s good for the team, but it would be crazy to throw him in against Minnesota.”

Midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic also returned to full training Wednesday but isn’t expected to play Saturday, though forward Paulo Jr. will return to the lineup.

Paterson’s back

Fury midfielder Nicki Paterson said leading up to this season he expected big things from himself after a frustrating 2014 campaign. So far, so good for the Scotsman, who scored Fury’s only goal last weekend in Atlanta and made several other big plays in the 1-1 draw.

“I put all my energy into Atlanta to make up for some lost time,” said Paterson, who missed the first game of the season with a suspension.

Paterson knows he has to keep his game at a high level considering the depth the team has at midfield with the signing of Julian de Guzman and young talent like Mauro Eustaquio and Misik.

“We have a lot of options, I wouldn’t want to be coach because once everyone’s healthy guys are going to be upset,” said Paterson, only half-kidding. “But that’s football and just means nobody can be complacent and that will show good results on the field.”

Dos Santos was pleased with Paterson’s debut.

“He played an excellent game in Atlanta,” he said. “There’s a lot of competition in the midfield and he knows it. But Nicki did his job, he was a leader, he was pro.”

Davies on the mend

After breaking his arm in a pre-season game against Syracuse on March 28, Fury FC midfielder Phil Davies spent Wednesday watching his teammates practice while riding a stationary bike.

After having surgery to repair the severely broken limb, Davies had his cast removed Tuesday. The team said at the time the injury could keep Davies out six to eight weeks and that timetable hasn’t changed.

This wasn’t any old fracture, either. Calling it a “freak accident” when Fury goalkeeper Romuald Peiser fell on his arm during the game, Davies said his arm was broken in five places, requiring a mix of metal screws and plates to set it.

“The doctor said he sees breaks like that in people who are in car accidents,” Davies said Wednesday.

Twitter: @chrishofley