So underboss was where he was best suited for the family?
I guess so. We tend to underestimate the politics that takes place in a Mafia Family.
When chosing an underboss and a consigliere, the Boss has to consider the inner politics in his Family. You don't want to antagonize a powerful faction of your family because they can turn against you.
That is something that is still going on today. The Lucchese for example. The acting boss and the underboss are from the Brooklyn faction and they appointed a consigliere from the Bronx faction so the two main factions of the Family are represented at an Administration level. Same dynamics with the Philly Family who appointed a consigliere from their Jersey faction.
The Gambino also had to deal with that. Wiretaps in the Campos crew case showed that the Bronx faction of the Family was not happy with their influence within the family's leadership. That's why some of their members thought that the killing of Franck Cali was a good thing as it undermined the Zips faction.
