petitfromage,
I have used manual thrust many times, both during training, in the sim - it is recommended for all single engine work, and on line.
After recent incidents and after accepting that the aeroplane is designed to be flown with the autothrust in, I do not fly on the line with manual thrust because we don't do it frequently enough as routine and the times we practise in the sim are just that - in the sim.
I actively encourage F/O's to hand fly the aeroplane as all types we fly (multi fleet flying - 320 V2500 and CFM, 321 CFM, 330-200 Trent, 330-300 Trent) are great to handle. I no longer allow manual thrust unless conditions dictate it's use from the FCOM's.
If any MD pilots are watching, what did you do because our old MD's I believe used autothrust all the time unlike the Boeing philosophy of AP out, AT out.