Following the injury that forced him to end his playing career, Janković came into the Red Star organization (club coached by Muslin at the time) in an adviser-scout role during the early 2000.

At the end of the 2000–01 season that saw Red Star win another league title (after winning the league and cup double the previous season), Ratko Dostanić, Muslin's assistant, took the head coaching job at FK Obilić, and Muslin offered the vacated place to Janković who thus became Red Star's assistant coach on 5 July 2001 at the age of 29.

[2] On 6 April 2009 he was named the new SC Lokeren coach, the Serbian signed him until June 2010 and replaced Georges Leekens.

[6] At the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, he led China to its worst ever performance in their history, failing to score a single goal and won only two points at the group stages.

Janković received significant criticism for his strategy, his choice in the selection, and his questionable options, which contributed to China's inability to score a single goal in the tournament and resulted in their eventual elimination.

[7] The same day, it was reported that he was fired from the position as coach of China, and had returned to his homeland for vacation, although the final decision remained to be seen.