I don't think Dellacroce ever aspired to head the Famliy.

In effect he already was a Boss,having been given absolute authority by Gambino over some very profitable rackets in one of the most lucrative territories in America.

He was one of the last of the old school who took the oath seriously. He would never attempted or sanctioned a hit on a sitting Boss.I have no doubt that if Gotti would have made a move on Paul, Neil would have taken him out personally.

To take it further,if Paul would have moved quicker and gave Neil the contract on Gotti, he would do it in a heartbeat.Neil managed to stall Paul over the Ruggiero tapes,and maybe he knew he was dying and figured that after he was gone,Gotti could do what he wanted. Paul's mistake was not having the stones to tell Angelo,"I want the tapes,you have 24 hrs". If it was Carlo,that whole tape nonsense would not have occurred.