Following his eye injury, Andrew Farrell is ready to go after being cleared to return

FOXBOROUGH — Longtime Revolution right back Andrew Farrell usually has a smile applied on his face, but Tuesday saw the smile go a little wider. Suffice it to say, Farrell is glad to be playing soccer again, especially after tearing his right retina in between preseason trips to Spain and Florida.

“It’s good, all clear, 100 percent,” the former No. 1 SuperDraft pick said prior to training at Gillette Stadium Tuesday afternoon. “I feel great, happy to be back in full training with the team and being involved with the guys. Looking forward to this weekend.”

Farrell tore his retina after a ball caromed off the frame of the goal and hit him in the face last month. It was what Brad Friedel had termed a freak accident, and left Farrell on the sidelines for the last month. At one recent training session, Farrell trained off to the side, all while wearing protective glasses.

“The last two weeks, I’ve been able to run more, so just doing sprints, strides, changing direction, and recently I’ve started to lift weights,” he said.

But after Dr. John Commander at the Massachusetts Eye And Ear Infirmary in Boston cleared the right back on Friday, Friedel added him to the squad for Sunday’s match at Toronto FC; he remained on the bench, as Friedel utilized three offensive substitutions.

“It was crazy, because the doctor first said April 7 was the (return) date,” Farrell said. “So, we were just going in for a check-up to see how it was progressing. They said the eye was looking great. They couldn't see the rupture anymore and there was limited-to-no bleeding or blood spots left. They were, like, yeah we don't see why you wouldn't be able to join the group. That was obviously great news that Friday, and then came back, packed, and got ready to go to Toronto.”

He said that being included in the squad gave him a lift, especially after not being able to go to Florida; he said that he was bedridden for two weeks, on doctor’s orders.

“I think it was important for me, just because I've been out of it,” he said. “When they were out (at training), I was either riding the bike or I was doing running on my own. Just being incorporated with the team and getting to know the guys even more — the newer guys — it was great this weekend. I'm looking forward to continuing to work towards full fitness for this weekend.

“I had good doctors; I didn’t think they were good doctors when they first gave me the bad news, but they are good doctors.”

Over the first three Revolution matches, Brandon Bye has stepped into his normal role, and Farrell had nothing but platitudes for the second-year pro.

“(Bye) did great. I think the guys did great. Obviously, the results haven't gone our way, but Brandon is a great player,” he said. “He's done well. Even last year and this year, he's done well when he had to play at left back, a position that's not his preferred position. But he's done great and he's a great player, so I’m excited for whatever happens this week or throughout the season, pushing each other each week to get the best out of each other.”

As for Farrell’s fitness levels, Friedel isn’t concerned.

“He was able to do a lot of fitness, so I think it’s just some match fitness, if you like, and training with the players and being able to go into contact,” the gaffer said. “I think the first few times he had to head a ball (in training Saturday) was a bit unnerving for him, but he’ll be fine. We’ll check him out this week, but I don’t think there should be any really big issues, because he did get about three, three-and-a-half weeks of preseason under his belt before he had this injury.”