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