Ibrahim Tanko

Ibrahim Tanko (born 25 July 1977) is a Ghanaian retired footballer who played mostly as a forward, and a current scout and assistant manager. He represented the Ghana national football team.

For the Nigerian justice, see Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad.
Not to be confused with Ibrahim Tanko (footballer, born 1999).
Ibrahim Tanko
Tanko in 2011
Personal information
Full name Ibrahim Tanko
Date of birth (1977-07-25) 25 July 1977
Place of birth Kumasi, Ghana
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
King Faisal Babes
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1994 King Faisal Babes
1994–2001 Borussia Dortmund 52 (3)
1998–2000 Borussia Dortmund II 24 (2)
2001–2007 SC Freiburg 106 (5)
Total 182 (10)
National team
1996–2004 Ghana 9 (0)
Teams managed
2007–2008 SC Freiburg (assistant)
2009–2010 Urawa Red Diamonds (assistant)
2011–2012 1. FC Köln (assistant)
2013–2015 Cameroon (assistant)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He played most of his 15-year professional career – blighted by injuries – in Germany, with Borussia Dortmund and Freiburg.

Club career

Born in Kumasi, Tanko signed with German side Borussia Dortmund from King Faisal Babes F.C. at age 17, making him the third youngest player to appear professionally for them behind Nuri Şahin and Lars Ricken.[1] He made his Bundesliga debut on 24 September 1994 in a 5–0 home win against VfB Stuttgart, and finished his first season with 14 games and one goal.

Injuries and loss of form led to an eventual release from the club (he did participate in three matches, all as a late substitute, in Borussia's 1996–97 UEFA Champions League victorious run) as Tanko amassed no more than three league appearances in three different seasons,[2] also being suspended and eventually released after testing positive for cannabis.[3] In January 2001 he joined SC Freiburg, scoring in his fourth game to help to a 3–1 success at VfL Bochum, but also missed a great part of the following campaign due to a severe knee injury,[4] as the Black Forest team dropped down to the 2. Bundesliga.

At Freiburg, Tanko's output improved slightly, and he played a career-high 27 matches (with two goals) in 2005–06's second division. However, he only appeared once the following season, and retired at 30.

On 1 July 2007, Tanko was named assistant coach for Freiburg's reserves, leaving after 18 months together with Karsten Neitzel to J1 League's Urawa Red Diamonds, and re-uniting with former Freiburg boss Volker Finke in the same capacity. In the 2011 summer, he began working under Ståle Solbakken at 1. FC Köln.[5]

International career

Tanko earned nine caps for Ghana, the last coming on 10 October 2004 – after an absence of eight years – in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo. In January 2012 he was appointed as the country's head scout, prior to that year's Africa Cup of Nations.[6]

On 4 June 2013, Tanko resumed his partnership with Finke as the former joined the latter's coaching staff in the Cameroon national side.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Ganz schnell ganz oben" [Really quick really high]. Die Welt (in German). 28 July 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  2. "BVB löst Vertrag mit Tanko" [BVB release Tanko from contract]. Rheinische Post (in German). 3 January 2001. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  3. "Africans abroad". BBC Sport. 28 May 2001. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  4. "Injury setback hits Freiburg". UEFA.com. 12 March 2002. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  5. "Assistenz-Trainer Tanko wird beim FC vom "Ohr" zum "Auge"" [Assistant coach Tanko will be from „years“ to „eyes“ at FC]. Express (in German). 18 September 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  6. "Ghana Fa to announce scouts for Nations Cup". News Ghana. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  7. "Meet Tanko, Finke's new assistant". Star Africa. 5 June 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
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