The boss has laid out the challenge for some Celtic players. They best be listening.

There was an interesting double story last night to round off the evening.

First, we had Brendan Rodgers praising Luis Palma after his hat trick against the Irish side in Wednesday’s friendly. Palma earned that praise because he didn’t just meet expectations—he exceeded them. His sharpness and focus throughout the game, especially in the closing moments, really set him apart. Rodgers’ praise was fully deserved.

I’ve said before that I like Palma as a footballer.

He’s got the technical ability, he’s sharp, and he can both score goals and create them. All three of his goals in that match were very similar: ghosting in at the back post and finishing cleanly. It’s a trademark of his that we’ve seen plenty of times. His goal against Motherwell last season was almost identical to one of the finishes the other night.

Still, while it’s easy to get caught up in a performance like that, especially when you’re already a fan of the player, you have to keep things in perspective.

It was a friendly, against lower-level opposition. It’s a good performance, but Palma still has everything to prove in bigger games. For all the promise, he’s got to show he can deliver against tougher sides if he wants to become a regular in the starting XI.

Everyone knows how difficult I think that fight is going to be. There are already shades of Mikey Johnston here; a player with a high degree of technical ability but lacking in other areas, and those might be the critical areas for a player who wants to succeed in this team.

But there is one thing he can take heart from: on a night where several players were given the chance to impress, he was the one who really stood out.

He grabbed his opportunity when others didn’t.

That brings us neatly to the second point Rodgers made after the game, which was directed at those fringe players. He made it clear that they’ll need to do much more to stay on his radar.

Now, some might assume he wasn’t referring to players like Luke McCowan or Valle, both of whom are new to the squad and haven’t had many chances yet. But he could easily be talking about them too. These players are in the first-team mix, and with so many fixtures ahead, they’ll get their opportunities soon enough … Rodgers needs to know they can handle it.

The more established guys, though, they definitely need to take note. Yang, for example, didn’t take his chance in quite the same way Palma did. Stephen Welsh had a poor game, to be generous, and Nawrocki didn’t do himself many favours either.

“I think it’s physicality,” Rodgers said about the unnamed players he has his critical eye on. “A lot of them need to improve on that aspect. They need to have more running power and get into contention more. They have talent with the ball, but it’s nowhere near enough.”

That’s a clear message: it’s not enough to just have ability with the ball. You need to be able to play at the high tempo he demands.

Rodgers went on to say that “That physicality will allow them to play at a higher tempo, but it’s nice for them to feel that and play out there in front of a crowd and play with that personality that you need to play for Celtic. Some of them did really, really well.”

It’s obvious that Rodgers is setting a standard that all the players—fringe and first-teamers alike—need to meet. This isn’t just about technical ability, it’s about fitness, aggression, and the ability to keep up with the pace of the game.

Palma, McCowan, Valle—none of them are exempt from this. They all have to prove they can meet the physical demands Rodgers is placing on the team.

Rodgers has made it clear that pace and power are non-negotiable for him.

Some players, particularly in defence, didn’t meet those expectations the other night. I think he’ll be disappointed with certain performances, especially from the backline. While Palma looked sharp, there are still areas of his game that need work. Against stronger opposition, some of the weaknesses might be exposed.

I mentioned the other day that you can’t take too much from a friendly against a team like Sligo Rovers. But this is where Rodgers really earns his wage—he’s always learning, always setting little tests for the players. And what he said post-match was a reminder that some of those players aren’t hitting the levels he requires.

For these players, the real lesson is that they need to apply themselves better if they want to stay in contention. Rodgers doesn’t care that the opposition wasn’t up to much. His standards remain the same, whether it’s a Champions League game or a low-key friendly. And that’s crucial as we approach the busiest part of the season, with some tough fixtures coming up.

With a string of challenging matches on the horizon, including games against teams right behind us in the league, Rodgers will have no choice but to rotate the squad. He’ll be looking closely at who he can rely on, and who needs to step up. Wednesday’s game was a wake-up call for some of these players, and Rodgers has made it clear that he’s always watching. For those who aren’t paying attention, there is nothing but a hard road ahead.