In July 2008, after several seasons working as a part of a backroom staff as well as for several lower level sides, Quinta accepted an invitation to manage Portuguese Second Division side F.C. Penafiel.[1] At the helm of the Penafidelenses, he guided them to promotion to the Segunda Liga.[2][3]
Immediately afterwards, Quinta left for Gil Vicente FC.[4] He resigned on 28 February 2010.[5]
On 13 June 2011, Quinta was appointed as the new manager of Varzim SC.[6] A month into his spell, he left to take up an assistant manager role at FC Porto alongside Vítor Pereira.[7] The club claimed back-to-back league titles.
Quinta left the Dragões at the end of the 2012–13 season, following Pereira. After a one-year absence, he returned to manage his former side Penafiel for a second spell in September 2014, this time in the Primeira Liga.[8] He left on 17 March 2015 after a 2–0 home loss to Rio Ave F.C. left the club in last place with 16 points.[9]
On 24 December 2016, Quinta returned to management at F.C. Vizela until the end of the season, after Ricardo Soares left for G.D. Chaves.[10] He left the following 14 March, having won twice in 11 matches and with the team in the relegation places.[11]
Quinta resumed his career at S.C. Espinho of the third tier on 27 June 2017.[12] In his second season, the team won their group, but were eliminated on penalties in the quarter-finals of the promotion play-offs by eventual champions Casa Pia AC.[13] He remained in the division and the Aveiro District, taking over at Lusitânia F.C. on 10 June 2019.[14]
Quinta left Lusitânia by mutual consent on 9 November 2020, after four games of the new season.[15] The following 21 January, he was hired at S.C. Salgueiros.[16]