Well, I gotta say I dont especially agree with the OP. Building up a circuit in the box is for wan*ers.
Either you've got some skill or you havent. Sure, if you go on leave or fly with an autopilot a bit more you might get a bit rusty, but it can be quickly polished off.
As Sully and a couple of other posters have said, whats important is getting the level of automation right for your circumstances. Trouble (for a F/O) is, one mans (Capts) opinion on that will be different to the next.
I did the ENTRA2 for the first time today. Big f. deal. I happened to use the A/P with selected speed to achieve noise abatement and vert/speed approaching 5000'. We climbed away at 320kts and the engine note didnt change once. Seamless.
P.S. Keg, the MCP has been renamed an FCU. I'll tell you more about it one day after the F/A has delivered your crew meal to your tray table.
Put me in the hand fly if you can camp. So long as it doesnt load up the other guy unnecessarily. And yes, I do fly gliders!