New Zealand's selectors and coaches took great interest in Southee while he was still playing youth cricket.
In 2007 national bowling coach Dayle Hadlee took him to India.
Hadlee later said that while there Dennis Lillee had compared Southee's talent to that of Glenn McGrath when he was young.
Hadlee, brother of New Zealand Cricket Selection Manager Sir Richard Hadlee, also said that he'd been "whispering in Black Caps coach John Bracewell's ear about the possibility of taking Southee on the upcoming tour of England."

While in the selectors' eye Southee took 6/68 in the first innings of a first class match against Auckland in early December (the innings ended on his 19th birthday).
Within a fortnight he was picked to play for a New Zealand XI side in a Twenty20 match against a Bangladesh side on 23 December 2007.
The game, played at Northern Districts' home ground of Seddon Park in Hamilton, was a charity match for cyclone relief in Bangladesh, and not a full international.
Southee bowled three overs and took 1/31.

On 30 January 2008, Southee was named in the New Zealand squad for two Twenty20 International games against England.
Selection Manager Sir Richard Hadlee said:
"Why delay producing a player of some talent?
Perhaps I could compare him with Brendon McCullum when he started – he had a lot of potential.
It might take a lot of time for Tim to find his feet but why wait two or three years when someone is in a special category?
The feedback we're getting is that this guy has got it."

Southee's international debut took place two years to the day after he'd first played under-19 cricket for New Zealand, on 5 February 2008 in Auckland.
He took 1/38.
In the second match, Southee was New Zealand's best bowler with figures of 2/22 from four overs.

Most of the New Zealand squad stayed together for the first three one day matches that followed, but Southee rejoined the national Under-19 team for the 2008 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia.
New Zealand's selectors and coaches took great interest in Southee while he was still playing youth cricket. In 2007 national bowling coach Dayle Hadlee took him to India. Hadlee later said that while there Dennis Lillee had compared Southee's talent to that of Glenn McGrath when he was young. Hadlee, brother of New Zealand Cricket Selection Manager Sir Richard Hadlee, also said that he'd been "whispering in Black Caps coach John Bracewell's ear about the possibility of taking Southee on the upcoming tour of England."
While in the selectors' eye Southee took 6/68 in the first innings of a first class match against Auckland in early December (the innings ended on his 19th birthday). Within a fortnight he was picked to play for a New Zealand XI side in a Twenty20 match against a Bangladesh side on 23 December 2007. The game, played at Northern Districts' home ground of Seddon Park in Hamilton, was a charity match for cyclone relief in Bangladesh, and not a full international. Southee bowled three overs and took 1/31.
On 30 January 2008, Southee was named in the New Zealand squad for two Twenty20 International games against England. Selection Manager Sir Richard Hadlee said:
"Why delay producing a player of some talent? Perhaps I could compare him with Brendon McCullum when he started – he had a lot of potential. It might take a lot of time for Tim to find his feet but why wait two or three years when someone is in a special category? The feedback we're getting is that this guy has got it."
Southee's international debut took place two years to the day after he'd first played under-19 cricket for New Zealand, on 5 February 2008 in Auckland. He took 1/38. In the second match, Southee was New Zealand's best bowler with figures of 2/22 from four overs.
Most of the New Zealand squad stayed together for the first three one day matches that followed, but Southee rejoined the national Under-19 team for the 2008 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia.
Tim Southee