Ibrahim Tanko

Ibrahim Anyars Tanko[1] (born 25 July 1977) is a Ghanaian retired footballer who played mostly as a second striker or an attacking midfielder, scout and manager who last served as the head coach of the local Black Stars - Ghana A' national football team.[2]

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 Anyars 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)
International career
1996–2004 Ghana 9 (0)
Managerial career
2019 Ghana U-23
2020–2021 Ghana A'
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played most of his 15-year professional career – blighted by injuries – in Germany, with Borussia Dortmund and Freiburg. At the international level, he represented the Ghana national football team.

Club career

Borussia Dortmund

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.[3] 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.

Tanko participated in three matches, all as a late substitute, in Borussia's 1996–97 UEFA Champions League victorious run. Injuries and loss of form led to an eventual demotion to the Borussia Dortmund II where he played 24 league matches from 1998 to 2000.[4]

He made another 13 league appearances before leaving the club in 2001.[5] He was also suspended and eventually released after testing positive for cannabis.[6][7] During his seven-year period with the club, he made 71 appearances in all competitions for the first team and scored three goals.[8][9]

SC Freiburg

In January 2001, Tanko 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,[10] 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 2. Bundesliga.[4] However, he only appeared once the following season, and retired at 30.

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.[11]

Coaching career

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.[12] On 4 June 2013, Tanko resumed his partnership with Finke as the former joined the latter's coaching staff in the Cameroon national side.[13] In January 2012 he was appointed as the Ghana national team's head scout, prior to that year's Africa Cup of Nations.[11]

In May 2017, Tanko was appointed as the first assistant coach for the Ghana national team to James Kwesi Appiah.[14] After serving in that role two years, he was promoted to serve as the head coach of the Ghana national U-23, the Black Meteors in November 2018 after Yussif Abubakar died.[15] He led the team to the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations tournament, Egypt 2019, for the first time in 12 years. The team missed out on qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after losing on penalty shout out to South Africa.[1][16] In January 2020, Tanko was appointed as the head coach of the Ghana A' national football team, the local Black Stars.[17] After 5 months in charge of the team, he was replaced by Annor Walker.[18]

On Tuesday, 28 June 2022, Tanko was appointed the Head coach of the Black Meteors by the Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association.[19] [20]

Personal life

Tanko is married with three children. He is a devout Muslim and speaks French, English and German.[1]

Honours

Borussia Dortmund

See also

References
  1. Association, Ghana Football. "PROFILE OF NATIONAL TEAM COACHES: Ibrahim Tanko". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  2. Association, Ghana Football. "Ibrahim Tanko heads new Black Stars 'B' Technical team". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  3. "Ganz schnell ganz oben" [Really quick really high]. Die Welt (in German). 28 July 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  4. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Ibrahim Tanko". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  5. "BVB löst Vertrag mit Tanko" [BVB release Tanko from contract]. Rheinische Post (in German). 3 January 2001. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  6. "Africans abroad". BBC Sport. 28 May 2001. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  7. "Tanko Banned For Taking Marijuana". GhanaWeb. 15 February 2001. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  8. "Ibrahim Tanko | Laufbahn | Spielerprofil". kicker (in German). Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  9. "Ibrahim Tanko". Fussballdaten (in German). Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  10. "Injury setback hits Freiburg". UEFA.com. 12 March 2002. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  11. "Ghana Fa to announce scouts for Nations Cup". News Ghana. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  12. "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.
  13. "Meet Tanko, Finke's new assistant". Star Africa. 5 June 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  14. Gyamera-Antwi, Evans (16 May 2017). "Tanko Ibrahim named Ghana assistant coach". www.goal.com. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  15. Appiah, Samuel Ekow Amoasi (26 November 2018). "Ibrahim Tanko Replaces Yusif Abubakar As Black Meteors Coach". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  16. "South Africa beat Ghana to clinch Olympic place". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  17. "Ibrahim Tanko appointed Black Stars 'B' coach as Tony Aubynn heads management committee". Happy Ghana. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  18. "Ibrahim Tanko axed; Annor Walker takes over as Black Stars B coach". Citi Sports Online. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  19. Association, Ghana Football. "Ibrahim Tanko appointed as Coach of Black Meteors". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  20. Association, Ghana Football. "PROFILE OF NATIONAL TEAM COACHES: Ibrahim Tanko". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
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