If you find yourself trying to change gear while manoeuvring it's time to hang up your keys and resort to public transport.

In a manual, driven properly, you should always be in a sensible gear for your speed with drive engaged before manoeuvring, so the gearbox is not a distraction, which is more than an auto manages sometimes.
Even if you get caught out, a manual can be slipped into the correct gear quicker than an auto will pick up, if competently driven. The driver will also know, when he buries his right foot, whether he'll get 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear, which can be useful, at times.

Autos are great for piddling about in traffic and commuting but the more I drive my auto (and it's almost 100% of my driving currently), the more I appreciate the few occasions when I get back into a manual car.

..and as for cruising in neutral, that's exactly what every auto does when you take your foot off the loud pedal. No engine braking whatsoever.